Rapidly growing wildfire near Bishop prompts mandatory evacuations

A rapidly growing wildfire near Bishop prompted evacuations for parts of Inyo and Mono counties on Sunday afternoon.

The so-called Silver Fire first broke out at around 2:11 p.m. near Highway 6 and Silver Canyon Road just north of Bishop, according to the Cal Fire San Bernardino unit.

As of 8 p.m., the fire had burned 1,000 acres and was threatening nearby structures and power lines and was 0% contained.

According to the National Weather Service, winds at Bishop Airport were gusting 25-35 mph from the west/ southwest with a relative humidity of around 10%.

A high wind warning will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday as gusts could reach up to 65 mph.

The strong winds grounded some firefighting aircraft and complicated containment efforts, according to Cal Fire.

A 30-mile stretch of Highway 6 was also closed to ensure public safety.

Cal Fire crews from San Bernardino and Riverside Counties are helping to battle the flames.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.