Gifford Fire burns 83,000 acres, now the largest blaze in California this year

(SOLVANG, Calif.) — The Gifford Fire, a wildfire burning in Central California that has destroyed over 83,000 acres in six days, continues to rage and is now the largest blaze in the state this year, according to Cal Fire.

Since it started on Friday afternoon, the Gifford Fire — which is situated within the Los Padres National Forest in Solvang, California — has burned 83,933 acres and has only reached 9% containment, prompting evacuation orders for those in the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, officials said.

While the flames have been centered around thick brush and rugged terrain, officials said over 1,000 structures are threatened by this wildfire.

Nearly 2,000 personnel have been dispatched to help fight the flames, with “great progress made on the west, north and east flanks of the fire” on Monday, according to Los Padres National Forest officials. Winds could potentially reach 20 mph on Tuesday, which could “test lines already constructed,” officials said.

On Wednesday, officials sad they would focus on improving “contingency and constructed containment fire lines.”

Warmer weather on Thursday and Friday could increase the “fire behavior” and pose a threat to the already raging flames, officials said.

On Tuesday, officials said they will deploy helicopters to “deliver very significant water drops” and will establish two new base camps to allow personnel to “more efficiently access the fire perimeter.”

An air quality alert in Cuyama, California, and an air quality watch for the rest of Santa Barbara County continues to remain in place “until conditions improve,” according to the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District.

The fire is also impacting those outside of California, with smoke from the flames filtering into the Las Vegas Valley, “reducing visibility and air quality,” according to the National Weather Service Las Vegas.

Officials expect smoky conditions in the Las Vegas area “for at least another couple of days.”

Along with the Gifford Fire, firefighters are now also battling two additional flames in Central California that began on Monday — the Rosa Fire and the Gold Fire, according to Cal Fire.

The Rosa Fire, which is situated within Riverside County, has prompted evacuation orders and has destroyed 1,658 acres as of Wednesday, according to Cal Fire. The Gold Fire, which is located in San Bernardino County, is centered around “steep, rugged terrain in the northern area of the Mountaintop Ranger District” and has burned 991 acres, Cal Fire said.

As of Wednesday, the Rosa Fire is 18% contained and the Gold Fire is 5% contained, officials said.

The cause of all three fires remains under investigation, officials said.