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3d ago

Gifford Fire in Los Padres National Forest Burns Nearly 50,000 Acres as Containment Stalls at 3%

Evacuation orders remain active in dozens of zones as teams battle extreme heat with rugged terrain to hold the blaze

A Los Padres engine at the Gifford Fire on Aug. 2, 2025.
Gifford fire in California: Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are currently under several evacuation orders. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Inciweb map showing the locations of the Gifford and Madre fires, which have collectively burned over 100,000 acres.

Overview

  • Containment dipped from 5% on Saturday to just 3% by Monday despite rapid fire growth under soaring temperatures and low humidity.
  • Mandatory evacuations cover more than a dozen areas in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, with shelters open for displaced residents and livestock.
  • Unified command of Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service and mutual-aid crews has deployed over 1,000 personnel along with aircraft and very large air tankers.
  • Three people were injured—two contractors in a UTV rollover and one civilian flown to a hospital with burn injuries—as firefighters focus on suppression.
  • Investigators continue probing the fire’s origin amid California’s intensifying wildfire season and challenging containment conditions.