Gifford Fire in Central California burns 72,000 acres, triggers mass evacuations, threatens hundreds of structures, and injures three people.
The Gifford Fire began on August 1, 2025, along State Route 166 in the Los Padres National Forest in Central California and quickly spread across rugged terrain. By August 4, 2025, the wildfire had destroyed over 72,000 acres, threatening Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, including areas about 30 miles east of Santa Maria. Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for regions south of Highway 166, covering Willow Springs Trailhead, Cottonwood Canyon Road, School House Road, and Upper Tepusquet Canyon, while evacuation warnings were announced for nearby zones such as Lower Tepusquet Canyon and areas east of Aliso Canyon Road. The fire grew from four smaller blazes that started west of Bakersfield and east of Santa Maria, forcing more than 1,000 firefighters to battle extreme heat, dry conditions, and unpredictable winds. Containment was only 3% by Monday morning and reached 5% by that evening, leaving 450 to 460 structures at risk. Three people were injured, including a m...