Growing 'mega fire' in California becomes state's largest in 2025
The fire is burning with dry and hot conditions, as temperatures climb above 100 degrees in mountainous terrain on the Central Coast.
A mega-fire on California’s Central Coast has become the state’s largest of 2025 — and it’s projected to keep growing.
The Gifford Fire, which ignited Aug. 1, is estimated to have engulfed over 104,000 acres and is 21% contained, according to an Aug. 9 federal fire update. It’s burning in a remote area of the Los Padres National Forest that has prompted road closures and evacuations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, located about 180 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
The Gifford Fire can be considered a mega-fire, a designation for wildfires over 100,000 acres, according to the U.S. Interagency Fire Center. Mark Ruggiero, a spokesperson for the federal response to the fire, said the western United States has seen many fires over 100,000 acres in recent decades.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Three civilians and four firefighters have been injured in the ongoing blaze.
The fire is already California’s largest of 2025. Dry and hot conditions, with temperatures climbing above 100 degrees, in mountainous terrain make containing the blaze difficult for thousands of firefighters responding to the area, according to Ruggiero. Canyon winds are also expected to reach gusts of around 20 mph.
“We’ve got a long ways to go,” he said. “The weather makes it more difficult to get crews in areas safely.”
The fire is spreading northward into Los Padres National Forest’s Garcia Wilderness area, which hasn’t seen fire in recorded history, Ruggiero said. The wilderness area provides heavy fuel, including vegetation and trees, that allow the fire to continue growing. The national forest has sections closed off to the public through February, the U.S. Forest Service announced in an Aug. 8 incident update.
In San Luis Obispo County, local officials are preparing in the event that more evacuations are needed as the fire heads northward toward more populated areas. Evacuation orders have affected over 600 people in rural areas dotted with horse ranches and farms, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kyle Nudson said. Approximately 1,500 people are under evacuation warnings.
Katie Munds, the county emergency services coordinator, encouraged people to know their evacuation zones and to sign up for alerts as conditions change. The county is issuing more information on ReadySLO.org/GiffordFire and, in Santa Barbara County, at readysbc.org. People can also view updates on air quality due to the wildfires and danger on toxic wildfire smoke at slocleanair.org.
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.