Saturday marks day 9 of the Gifford Fire, and firefighters have another day of hot and dry weather to contend with as they continue to fight the growing blaze.
As of Saturday afternoon, the fire has burned 111,557 acres and remains at 21% contained.
Fire officials say on Friday, flames advanced into the Garcia Wilderness and are now threatening the Machesna Mountain Wilderness on the north side. This growth was evident by two large smoke columns that could be seen across the area on Friday afternoon. Officials say their goal is to prevent the fire from spreading beyond the Garcia Wilderness. Meanwhile, on the south side of the fire, crews are continuing work to reinforce and connect control lines.
WATCH: Timelapse of Gifford Fire smoke plume as seen from San Luis Obispo on 8-8-25
The Gifford Fire broke out on August 1, along Highway 166 east of Santa Maria, burning on both sides of the highway into San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
Nearly 3,000 structures remain threatened by the fire, and evacuation orders and warnings remain in place.
Residents in San Luis Obispo County can check whether their property is included in evacuations by visiting this link.
For information on evacuation orders and warnings in Santa Barbara County, click here.
An evacuation shelter is set up at Arroyo Grande High School. Pets are welcome. Call (805) 543-2444 with questions.
Evacuees can also contact the American Red Cross for assistance at (805) 678-3073.
For residents who need to evacuate with large animals, the Elks Rodeo Grounds in Santa Maria is open for large animal evacuations. People needing help with small animals should contact the Animal Services shelter in their county.
From now through February 8, 2026, the Los Padres National Forest is closed for public safety and the protection of natural resources. This closure includes the entire Santa Lucia Ranger District and a portion of the Mount Pinos Ranger District. Click here to view the closure order.
Highway 166 also remains closed between Highway 101 and New Cuyama with no estimated time for reopening.
Other road closures include:
- Huasna Townsite South at Huasna and Huasna East
- Hi Mountain Road at Lopez Drive
- Huasna Road restricted to residents only
- Pozo Road at River Road
- Pozo Road at Santa Margarita Lake Road
Officials say 3,685 personnel are currently assigned to the fire.
