Gifford Fire Grows, Injuries and Evacuations Mount

The Gifford Fire, which began Friday along Highway 166 in California's Los Padres National Forest, has grown to nearly 50,000 acres and is now the state's second-largest wildfire this year. Containment remains low at 3-5%, with more than 560 firefighters battling the blaze amid hot, dry, and windy conditions. The fire has prompted evacuation orders for hundreds of residents in both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and multiple evacuation centers and animal shelters have been set up. Three people have been injured—one civilian with burns and two contractors in a vehicle accident—while hundreds of structures are threatened and key highways, including Highway 166, remain closed. Air quality has worsened, and authorities warn that most of the fire remains uncontrolled. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and officials continue to urge residents to heed evacuation orders.