A fast-moving wildfire, dubbed the Gifford Fire, has scorched over 82,000 acres (approximately 332 square kilometers) in less than five days, threatening hundreds of structures and prompting widespread evacuation orders across Central California.
The blaze began Friday afternoon after four separate ignitions along a California highway merged into a single wildfire. It is currently burning across Santa Lucia Road, affecting areas in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, according to the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
As of Tuesday morning, the fire was only 7 percent contained and is threatening more than 870 structures, according to reports by Xinhua news agency.
Evacuation orders have been issued for parts of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Authorities have urged residents to remain alert as erratic fire behavior could result in rapidly changing conditions.
“Due to erratic fire behavior, residents should watch for changing conditions in their area,” the U.S. Forest Service stated in an incident update.
Firefighters are working under challenging conditions, as warming and drying trends are expected to continue from Wednesday through the weekend. Efforts are focused on constructing contingency lines along the north and south flanks of the blaze.
More than 1,900 personnel have been deployed to the fire, along with 40 hand crews, 115 engines, 23 bulldozers, and 30 water tenders. Aerial support from air tankers and helicopters is also being utilized, according to InciWeb, a U.S. interagency incident information system.
“The fire is burning through steep, rugged terrain and producing a massive smoke column,” said Captain Scott Safechuck of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. “A lot of it’s in really inaccessible areas where even bulldozers can’t reach,” he added, emphasizing the reliance on aircraft to battle the flames.
–IANS