The Gifford Fire has rapidly expanded across the Los Padres Forest, necessitating urgent evacuations and resulting in injuries to at least three individuals. The blaze, fueled by dry conditions and unpredictable winds, poses a significant threat to the area, prompting emergency response teams to act swiftly to combat the growing danger.
A massive wildfire ravaging California's Los Padres National Forest poses a severe threat to hundreds of homes and has already resulted in injuries. The fire, known as the Gifford Fire, has engulfed over 72,000 acres across the coastal regions of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, just north of Los Angeles. Reports from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) indicate that as of Tuesday morning, the fire was only 7% contained and continued to burn uncontrollably.
In a recent incident linked to the wildfire, a motorist suffered burn injuries severe enough to require hospitalization after being engulfed by flames when he exited his vehicle. Additionally, two contract employees aiding firefighting efforts sustained injuries when their all-terrain vehicle overturned.
Approximately 450 structures are currently under threat from the blaze, which has also necessitated the closure of a major highway in both directions near Santa Maria, a city home to about 110,000 residents in Santa Barbara County.
Evacuation orders have been issued in affected parts of both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. In a desperate bid to protect livestock, ranchers have been evacuating cattle, while aircraft have been deployed to combat the swiftly spreading flames with water drops.
The Gifford Fire originated from at least four smaller fires that broke out along State Route 166 between Santa Maria and Bakersfield last Friday. "This situation created multiple fronts, causing the flames to fan out in various directions," explained Flemming Bertelson, a spokesperson for the US Forest Service. He noted that the fire is consuming large swathes of chaparral and brushland, and climbing very steep slopes.
Authorities are currently investigating the causes of the fire, seeking to understand the origins of this destructive force.