Watch: California's Gifford Fire races up hillside toward camera as blaze explodes in size
The Gifford Fire started along Highway 166 west of Cayama on Friday afternoon and had already grown to over 23,500 acres by Saturday morning, according to fire officials. The fire is just 5% contained.
Massive Gifford Fire races up California's Plowshare Peak
The Gifford Fire exploded in size Friday night along Plowshare Peak in Southern California's Los Padres National Forest. Time-lapse video from ALERTCalifornia shows the flames rapidly spreading up the mountainside.
CAYAMA, Calif. -- A fast-moving wildfire exploded in size late Friday in Southern California, triggering evacuations across two counties and sending firefighters scrambling.
The Gifford Fire started along Highway 166 west of Cayama on Friday afternoon and had already grown to over 23,500 acres by Saturday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire. The fire is just 5% contained.
ALERTCalifornia camera at Plowshare Peak captures aerial fire retardant drop on Gifford Fire on Aug. 1, 2025.
(ALERTCalifornia via NWS San Francisco)
"The terrain and abundance of fuels have made suppression efforts challenging," fire officials wrote. "But firefighters remain focused on a full-suppression strategy."
Some evacuations have been ordered in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties near the Los Padres National Forest.
![Gifford Fire]()
Image 1 of 3Fire encroaching upon the Rock Front Ranch during the initial stages of the Gifford Fire on Friday, August 1, 2025. (U.S. Forest Service-Fleming Bertelsen)
![Firefighters battle Gifford Fire]()
Image 2 of 3A VLAT drops retardant during initial attack response on the Gifford Fire, Friday, August 1, 2025. (U.S. Forest Service-Fleming Bertelsen)
![Aerial drop on Gifford Fire]()
Image 3 of 3ALERTCalifornia camera at Plowshare Peak captures aerial fire retardant drop on Gifford Fire on Aug. 1, 2025. (ALERTCalifornia via NWS San Francisco)
Time-lapse video from a camera atop Plowshare Peak showed the rapid spread of the flames as they marched up the hillside Friday night, nearly surrounding the camera.
The camera was still operational Saturday morning and for now it appeared the station had survived.
But firefighters will continue to face hot and gusty conditions battling the fire as Southern California is square in its summer dry season. Temperatures this weekend are expected to reach the mid-upper 90s, with relative humidity readings in the teens and winds gusting to 25 mph.
There are no reports yet of any injuries or significant property damage.