A fast-moving blaze dubbed the Madre Fire has ballooned to roughly 53,000 acres in less than 36 hours, making it California’s largest wildfire of 2025. The fire ignited Wednesday afternoon near Highway 166 in southeastern San Luis Obispo County and rapidly crossed into Santa Barbara County, driven by hot, dry and windy conditions.
Fire officials placed containment at just 5% on Thursday evening. The fire, which at one point expanded at an estimated 3,200 acres an hour, is burning in grass and brush within the Los Padres National Forest and adjacent Bureau of Land Management lands. Evacuation orders and warnings cover rural communities along Highway 166, and the roadway remains closed in sections. About 50 structures are threatened, but no major injuries or property losses have been reported.
More than 300 firefighters are working the incident, supported by a surge of state resources after Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said CAL FIRE had joined the U.S. Forest Service in unified command. Nine large air tankers and additional helicopters have been requested, while ground crews build containment lines in steep terrain. Smoke from the blaze is spreading across Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, prompting air-quality advisories.
The cause of the Madre Fire is under investigation. Its explosive growth underscores heightened wildfire risk across the West, where red-flag warnings remain in effect and vegetation is already as dry as it typically is later in the summer. The fire has already eclipsed the acreage of January’s Palisades and Eaton fires, signaling a potentially severe season ahead for California.
UPDATE: The #MadreFire has scorched 53,000 acres, making it the largest wildfire in California this year — even eclipsing January’s Palisades and Eaton fires in terms of size.
The Madre Fire has now been mapped at 52,952 acres and remains 5% contained.
The fire has grown nearly 20,000 acres this afternoon after ripping 35k acres last night, as seen in this incredible photo shared by a subscriber who had an aerial view. 🙏
9 air tankers were requested
