The Madre Fire in California surged to 35,530 acres in under 24 hours, becoming the state’s largest wildfire of the year. Fueled by dry grass, high temperatures, and gusty winds, the blaze erupted Wednesday near State Route 166 east of Santa Maria and is primarily burning through federal lands in San Luis Obispo County.
The fire, which ignited around 1 p.m., rapidly consumed 3,300 acres in its first two hours. It has since expanded east and northeast onto the Carrizo Plain, threatening critical areas within Los Padres National Forest and Bureau of Land Management parcels. Evacuation orders are in place for eight zones, with warnings issued in six additional areas.
Located about 20 miles northwest of New Cuyama, the fire is being fought by a coordinated response from multiple agencies. The effort includes seven air tankers, two helicopters, several engines, bulldozers, and 303 personnel on the ground.
Los Padres National Forest spokesman Andrew Madsen confirmed that dry brush and cured annual grasses are accelerating the fire’s spread, creating intense flames and dangerous conditions. Weather forecasts predict highs in the mid-to-upper 90s with increasing winds reaching gusts of up to 25 mph — complicating containment efforts.
California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Los Padres National Forest, and the Bureau of Land Management are managing the fire under a unified command structure. Officials continue to urge residents in the impacted zones to remain alert and comply with evacuation directives.
Further south, the Wolf Fire in Riverside County remains at 2,414 acres and is now 55% contained. Smaller fires in the county, the Juniper and Mindy Fires, are nearly fully contained, according to Cal Fire.
