August and September are peak wildfire season in California, and this year’s fires are particularly fierce. On Friday, the largest wildfire in California this year, the Gifford Fire, has spread to nearly 100,000 acres in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
According to CalFire, the containment rate of the Gifford Fire is only 15%. This fire resulted from the merging of four smaller fires that broke out along Highway 166 last Friday, exacerbated by dry weather, strong winds, and dense vegetation.
Reports from local media indicate that evacuation orders and warnings are still in effect in several communities. Road closures include a section of Highway 166 from Highway 101 to Highway 33.
In addition, the Canyon Fire in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles, broke out around 1:30 pm yesterday and quickly spread, forcing thousands of people to evacuate. The fire also threatens power lines in the area.
According to local media reports, from Thursday night to Friday morning, decreasing temperatures and weakening winds provided favorable conditions for firefighters to establish containment lines around the Canyon Fire.
Andrew Dowd, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department, stated that 1,400 structures are threatened by the fire. Approximately 4,200 residents in Los Angeles County have been issued evacuation orders, with an additional 12,500 residents receiving evacuation warnings.
Dowd mentioned that the hot, dry weather and rugged terrain pose significant challenges to firefighting efforts. The fire is spreading eastward, with 250 firefighters working in coordination with helicopters and other aerial support.
California has reported over 4,400 wildfires this year, surpassing the 3,800 incidents reported at this time last year. According to CalFire statistics, over 221,000 acres of land have been burned this year, far exceeding the 83,000 acres burned by July 2024.