California Wildfire Grows to Nearly 80,000 Acres, Forcing Evacuations

July 7, 2025

A wildfire on the central coast of California has grown to 84,080 acres, prompting evacuation orders and closing part of a highway.

The Madre Fire, the biggest the state has seen this year, started on Wednesday and is burning in a remote area in the mountains between the Central Coast and the Central Valley, in the Los Padres National Forest.

The fire was about 30% contained as of Saturday morning, according to CalFire. One structures has been destroyed, and 50 structures are threatened, the agency said.

The fire is burning in a rural area of San Luis Obispo County, but thick smoke has spread to nearby counties.

Resources assigned to the blaze include 1,472 personnel, 75 engines and 16 helicopters.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters California Wildfire

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