Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Success! Now Check Your Email

To complete Subscribe, click the confirmation link in your inbox. If it doesn’t arrive within 3 minutes, check your spam folder.

Ok, Thanks
Gifford Fire Expands to Over 91,000 Acres in SLO and Santa Barbara Counties.
Heading into Wednesday morning, August 7th, 2025, the Gifford Fire has burned more than 91,000 acres across Central California, prompting new evacuation orders, road closures, and injury reports. This official progression map from CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service shows how the fire spread each day since igniting on August 1, with color-coded zones marking daily growth.

Gifford Fire expands past 91,000 acres: Updated evacuation zones, road closures, and shelter info for Thursday morning

The Gifford Fire has burned more than 91,000 acres in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties as of Wednesday night, with new evacuation orders, road closures along Highway 166, and expanded shelter resources now in effect.

Mac Douglass profile image
by Mac Douglass

The Gifford Fire has grown explosively to 91,250 acres with just 9% containment as of late Wednesday night, August 6, 2025. CAL FIRE reports that three civilians and four firefighters have been injured as the fire continues burning on both sides of Highway 166 northeast of Santa Maria.

With active fire behavior reported on the southern flank, officials are expanding evacuation orders and warnings across both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Highway 166 remains closed in both directions between Highway 101 and New Cuyama.


New evacuation orders and warnings issued

Unified Command—which includes Los Padres National Forest and Santa Barbara County Fire—has updated evacuation zones due to increased fire spread and wind shifts. The following are the latest:

đź”´ Evacuation Orders

San Luis Obispo County

  • LPF-011, LPF-013 to LPF-019
  • SLC-225, SLC-239, SLC-240, SLC-263, SLC-264, SLC-297, SLC-298, SLC-335 to SLC-337

Santa Barbara County

  • LPF-165
  • SBC-159-A, SBC-161-A, SBC-163, SBC-167, SBC-169-A, SBC-169-B

🟡 Evacuation Warnings

San Luis Obispo County

  • LPF-002, LPF-003, LPF-009 to LPF-010, LPF-012
  • SLC-195, SLC-196, SLC-197, SLC-224, SLC-226, SLC-261, SLC-262, SLC-311, SLC-312, SLC-334

Santa Barbara County

  • SBC-159-B, SBC-161-B, SBC-172, SBC-179, SBC-229-A

Gifford Fire Perimeter and Public Information Map, August 6, 2025.
This official perimeter map shows the full extent of the Gifford Fire as of August 6, 2025. Highway 166 closures, impacted forest zones, and regional boundaries are clearly marked. Data courtesy of CAL FIRE and Los Padres National Forest.

Road closures and restricted access

Highway 166 remains fully closed between Highway 101 and New Cuyama. Non-emergency vehicles are restricted from entering east of Tempusquet Road and west of Perkins Road. Authorities have asked the public to avoid the area and use alternate routes.

For a real-time view of satellite activity over the fire zone, use the interactive map below. This NOAA tool shows live fire perimeters, thermal hotspots, smoke coverage, and surface observations across the Gifford Fire area.


Where to find help

Temporary evacuation points and information centers:

  • Benjamin Foxen Elementary School
    • 4949 Foxen Canyon Rd, Santa Maria, CA
    • Open August 3–4, 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
  • Cuyama Valley Family Resource Center
    • 4689 Highway 166, New Cuyama, CA
    • Open August 3–4, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Sheltering assistance: Call the Red Cross at (805) 678-3073.

Animal evacuation resources

For large animal evacuations, residents are encouraged to call the County Animal Services Disaster Hotline at (805) 681-4332. The Elks Rodeo Grounds (4040 Highway 101, Santa Maria) remains open for large animals—enter through Morningside Drive Gate 2.

Small/domestic animal shelters open until 6:00 PM at:

  • 548 W Foster Rd, Santa Maria
  • 1501 W Central Ave, Lompoc
  • 5473 Overpass Rd, Goleta
  • 111 Commerce Dr, Buellton (open until 5:00 PM)

See wildfire alerts in near-real time:

Use NOAA’s Next‑Generation Fire System (NGFS) interactive map below to zoom in on current hot spots and updated perimeters across California. The NGFS updates every 60 seconds—providing minute-scale detection, all-weather acuity backed by AI, and continuous live tracking of fire progression.

RealEarth

Resources fighting the fire

CAL FIRE and Los Padres National Forest have nearly 3,000 personnel on the fire line, including:

  • 202 engines
  • 18 water tenders
  • 19 helicopters
  • 101 dozers
  • 76 hand crews
  • 498 support personnel

Firefighting air tankers are being deployed statewide as conditions allow.

Mac Douglass profile image
by Mac Douglass

Subscribe to New Posts

Subscribe for the latest in California today, every day.

Success! Now Check Your Email

To complete Subscribe, click the confirmation link in your inbox. If it doesn’t arrive within 3 minutes, check your spam folder.

Ok, Thanks

Read More