A forest fire broke out Thursday afternoon along the Sonoma County coast, prompting officials to order mandatory evacuations and close a stretch of Highway 1 as a dark plume of smoke clogged the sky, according to Cal Fire.
Driven by strong wind gusts , the Woodside Fire grew to about 100 acres as of 5 p.m. It was burning in an area of heavy timber, including redwood trees , near the 24000 block of Highway 1 in Timber Cove, located north of Jenner and south of Salt Point State Park, Cal Fire said.
Officials ordered a mandatory evacuation of zone SON-1D1, which includes the area between the coast and the South Fork Gualala River, and from Kruse Ranch and Hauser Bridge roads south to Fort Ross Road, according to Cal Fire maps.
Cal Fire said Salt Point State Park, Steelwater Cove Regional Park, Timber Cove subdivision and Ocean Cove, a private campground, were also ordered to evacuate at 4:30 p.m…