California firefighters were battling at least seven large wildfires blazing across the southern part of the state on Friday, with one of the fires approaching "megafire" status. An active year for wildfires has stretched the state's resources thin.
The Gifford Fire, burning around 145 miles northeast of Santa Maria, California, and nearly 140 miles northwest of Los Angeles, had charred over 99,000 acres by the end of the first week of August. At only 15% contained, the blaze will most likely become a "megafire," an exceptional wildfire that burns over 100,000 acres of land.
The fire ignited on Aug. 1, and its cause is still under investigation. With a forecast of scorching heat near 100 degrees, humidity levels plunging into the teens and single digits, and challenging terrain, firefighters will face a tough battle against the blaze.
Evacuation shelters have been opened at area schools for those forced from their homes. Evacuation centers have also been opened for not only small, domestic animals but also large animals in and around Santa Maria. The blaze has led to the shutdown of schools and roads across the region.
The Gifford Fire is now California's largest wildfire of 2025. There have been over 5,000 wildfires that have burned nearly 280,000 acres so far this year in California, with the Canyon Fire northwest of L.A. also reaching especially concerning levels in recent days — over 5,000 acres in one day after starting on Thursday, Aug. 7.
Wildfires across the state have claimed 31 lives and destroyed more than 16,000 structures in 2025. They have burned almost 13,000 more acres year-to-date compared to the average of the past five years.
The worst fires this year in California have targeted the southern part of the state. Entering the last month of meteorological summer, meteorologists with the National Weather Service's Bay Area office noted that cool weather has helped to limit the fire season so far in the northern part of the state, with fuel moisture above normal there for this time of the year.
"A lot of our activity has been in the Southern California area, with our larger, more significant fires," observed Jesse Torres, a Cal Fire Battalion Chief, per The Los Angeles Times. "But everyday with the heat and these winds, they're drying out more and more," Torres added, "becoming more susceptible to ignitions."
This active summer for wildfires might spill over into September.
"In Southern California, the threat is driven by persistent drought, high grass loads, and weakening coastal moisture," according to Cal Fire's seasonal outlook. "Compared to last year, there is a greater likelihood of significant timber fires, especially in the southern Sierra and inland zones. Models are aligning for an early and active season, with elevated risk continuing into September."
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Our atmosphere's heat-trapping gases are like steroids for weather, supercharging wildfires and other severe events. Last year was California's third-warmest on record. The first seven months of 2025 have been the seventh-warmest on record for California.
While heat does not automatically equal dry, extended periods of hot sun can lead to more evaporation of moisture from the ground, which can in turn increase the risk for drought conditions and wildfires — particularly if that evaporated moisture does not lead to rain in the same places — and often, it doesn't. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report revealed nearly 40% of the state is experiencing drought conditions.
The relatively hot and dry conditions have fueled 442 more fires than normal so far this year, compared to the most recent five-year average. The peak of wildfire season for California is usually June through October, but this year got off to an early, active start. Researchers suggest deadly wildfires that struck the state in January may be linked to as many as 440 deaths.
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