Authorities in California have ordered evacuations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties as the Gifford fire continues to spread, with only 5 percent of the blaze contained as of Saturday afternoon.
The Gifford fire has grown into the state’s second-biggest this year behind the Madre fire, which also burned in San Luis Obispo County.
Why It Matters
The Golden State is still reeling after devastating fires destroyed significant portions of the area around Los Angeles County and some neighborhoods within the city itself earlier this year.
The Palisades and Eaton fires, which did the most damage, consumed 23,448 and 14,021 acres, respectively, by the time they were contained. The Palisades fire ended up one of the most destructive fires in California history after destroying over 1,000 structures.
What To Know
The Gifford fire broke out on Friday afternoon at around 3:44 p.m. local time along Highway 166, about 30 miles east of Santa Maria in the Los Padres National Forest. The fire has since rapidly spread to consume 23,588 acres over two counties in less than a day.
CalFire posted on its website an evacuation order labeling the fire an “immediate threat to life,” stressing that the evacuation is “a lawful order to LEAVE NOW” as the area will be closed to public access as firefighters try to contain the blaze.
The order affects a dozen areas across the counties, with another half-dozen areas under evacuation warnings due to “potential threat to life and/or property,” with those who require extra time to evacuate or have to evacuate pets and livestock “should leave now.”
At the same time, the Green fire in Shasta County is nearly completely contained after burning just over 19,000 acres, and the Orleans Complex fire in Del Norte and Siskiyou counties is about 80 percent contained after burning around 21,500 acres.
The Madre fire, which started a month ago, is now fully contained after burning 80,779 acres across San Luis Obispo County.
What People Are Saying
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) wrote on X last month: “As we enter July, California is heating up — and so is the wildfire risk. In the past 24 hours, CAL FIRE has responded to over 65 wildfires statewide, which have burned more than 150 acres, prompted evacuations in some areas, created smoky conditions, and impacted both infrastructure and habitats. With hotter, drier conditions ahead, it’s more important than ever to practice fire safety at home and outdoors.”
What Happens Next?
The cause of the Gifford fire remains under investigation.
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