3 Injured in California Forest Fire as It Reaches 83,900 Acres

Fire crews continued to fight the Gifford Fire near Santa Barbara Tuesday.

Gifford Fire burns 30,000 acres in Los Padres National Forest on Aug. 2, 2025. Benjamin Hanson/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Three people were injured, and authorities issued multiple evacuation orders and warnings as a large wildfire north of Santa Barbara, Calif., grew to over 83,900 acres as it burned out of control in Los Padres National Forest on Aug. 5.

More than 870 structures are threatened by the flames, and firefighters reported the blaze is 7 percent contained.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Officials say the Gifford Fire started at about 2 p.m. Aug. 1 after four separate fires were sparked along rural State Route 166.

The small fires merged into one large fire burning on Santa Lucia Road in the coastal counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Of those injured, a motorist was burned on the first day after he got out of his car and was overrun by flames, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Two other people working as contractors on the fire were also injured when their off-road utility vehicle rolled.

No structures have yet been destroyed in the fire, Capt. Scott Safechuck of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department told The Epoch Times.

Nearly 2,000 fire personnel are working on the fire, along with 115 fire engines, 40 hand crews, 23 bulldozers, and 30 water tenders.

Fire crews had an “active day” of firefighting Aug. 4 but successfully saved several structures, Incident Section Chief Don Fregulia said in a video update.

Crews expect to build fire lines in the Pine Canyon area on the southwest section of the fire, Fregulia said.

“We did have quite a bit of good work here off Highway 166 both north and south,” Fregulia said. “We’re having challenges on the northwest side of the fire. That fire did move on us to the north, quite a bit.”

A large wildfire continued to burn in Los Padres National Forest near Santa Barbara, Calif., Aug. 5, 2025. U.S. Forest Service-Los Padres National Forest

Fire responders are using every tool in their toolbox, including bulldozers and aircraft, to defend homes and buildings near the northwest corner of fire, Fregulia added.

The blaze is burning about 65 miles northwest of Santa Barbara and about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles in an agricultural region known for its wine industry.

A temporary evacuation site was opened at Benjamin Foxen Elementary School in Santa Maria.

Crews planned to focus on Alamo Creek on the west side of the fire on Aug. 5 along the transmission line.

“Structure protection efforts continue in areas of concern,” the Los Padres National Forest reported in an update.

State Route 166 is closed between U.S. 101 and Perkins Road in the unincorporated city of New Cuyama, and traffic was diverted around the closure.