US EditionMadre Fire in California explodes to more than 52,000 acres in 1 day
- Firefighters battled the Madre Fire in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, which expanded to over 52,000 acres by Thursday, July 3, 2025.
- The fire ignited Wednesday early afternoon within the Los Padres National Forest and expanded quickly, driven by hot, dry conditions and shifting wind patterns.
- Evacuation orders and warnings affected areas near Highway 166 and Santa Barbara County, as crews achieved only 5% containment amid challenging terrain and winds.
- Meteorologist Ryan Kittell noted gusts could reach 40 mph late Thursday, while Dan Turner said the fire burns until winds stop and that safety remains the priority.
- The fire remains active with significant damage risk, highlighting ongoing wildfire threats in California during the current season and prompting expanded resource deployment.
145 Articles
145 Articles
It has only been a few months since Los Angeles experienced the worst fires in its history. Now another forest fire broke out in California – the biggest one this year.
Wildfire Expands in California North of LA
More than 600 firefighters are now involved in trying to control a California wildfire that broke out Wednesday afternoon. It quickly grew to over a 70,000-acre area by midday Friday. The fire is impacting a mostly rural area, about 110 miles northwest of Los Angeles. But as of Friday, smoke from the expanding fire was beginning to affect air quality in Los Angeles. Local TV station KTLA 5 reported it is now the largest wildfire in the state so …
Madre Fire grows to largest in California this year
LOS ANGELES, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A wildfire in central California had rapidly grown to more than 70,000 acres (283.2 square km) in around 48 hours by Friday noon, becoming the largest blaze so far this year in the western U.S. state. Read full story
California’s Madre Fire grows to over 70k acres, becomes largest in state this year
The Madre Fire, burning near San Luis Obispo, California, grew to over 70,000 acres on Friday, July 4. It is now the largest wildfire to burn in the state in 2025. Large-scale firefighting response Seven air tankers and two helicopters joined local engines and ground crews to fight the fire. Cal Fire said an interstate fire management team would be taking command of firefighting efforts on Friday. The Madre Fire began on Wednesday, July 2, in th…
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