Firefighters combating the massive Gifford Fire in central California, now the state’s largest wildfire this year, are facing increasing challenges due to rising temperatures. Despite these difficulties, they have made incremental progress.
The Gifford Fire, burning out of control for several days in the northern edge of Los Padres National Forest, threatens more than 870 remote homes and other structures.
The blaze has consumed at least 131 square miles across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and is currently only 9% contained.
It has surpassed the Madre Fire, which burned 126 square miles in south-eastern San Luis Obispo County last month, to become the largest fire in California in 2025.
Crews are working in steep, inaccessible terrain and will face temperatures of around 35C on Wednesday and exceeding 38C on Thursday, according to Captain Scott Safechuck of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
“We have hot weather and low relative humidity,” he stated. “Therefore, we anticipate extreme fire behavior.”
Fortunately, winds are expected to remain relatively calm, he added.
Elevated wildfire risk is anticipated across much of inland California throughout the weekend as the heatwave intensifies.
The National Weather Service for Los Angeles cautioned that the southern part of the state has experienced very little rain, causing vegetation to dry out and become “ripe to burn” in a statement.
Temperatures around 38C are predicted for the Sacramento Valley.
Over 2,200 personnel are battling the Gifford Fire, which originated from at least four smaller fires that ignited on Friday along State Route 166. This has forced closures in both directions east of Santa Maria, a city with a population of approximately 110,000. The causes of these fires are currently under investigation.
The flames are spreading through a vast, largely unpopulated area encompassing forests, ranches, large canyon properties, and agricultural land used for growing wine grapes and strawberries.
The weather service has warned of potential health risks from spreading smoke that could impact a large portion of south-west California.
Officials have reported four injuries. A firefighter was treated for dehydration, a motorist was hospitalized with burn injuries after exiting his vehicle and being caught by flames over the weekend, and two contract employees assisting firefighters were injured when their all-terrain vehicle overturned.
