Watch: Aerial footage shows California wildfire smoke rising high into the sky
The fire is about 15% contained, officials said. It has been fueled by grass and brush, along with hot and dry weather conditions conducive for its growth.
Aerial footage shows Gifford Fire in California
Columns of smoke can be seen billowing up from the Gifford Fire in California on Tuesday.
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Footage shot from a helicopter showed columns of smoke billowing up from the Gifford Fire in California on Tuesday.
The wildfire has been burning about 15 miles southeast of Santa Maria in Southern California since Friday, scorching more than 96,000 acres in six days.
Aerial footage showed the Gifford Fire sending thick plumes of smoke into the air, high enough to reach the clouds.
Still from video of Gifford Fire on Aug. 5, 2025. (Kenneth Edward Piner / TMX / FOX Weather)
Evacuation orders have been issued for parts of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, with some areas within those counties under evacuation warnings.
Officials noted that overnight winds of more than 30 mph Wednesday night caused a western portion of the fire to grow, leading to new evacuation orders being issued for nearby areas.
WATCH: CALIFORNIA'S GIFFORD FIRE RACES UP HILLSIDE TOWARD CAMERA AS BLAZE EXPLODES IN SIZE
Gifford Fire on Aug. 4, 2025. (InciWeb / FOX Weather)
The fire is about 15% contained, officials said. It has been fueled by grass and brush, along with hot and dry weather conditions conducive to its growth.
Temperatures are expected to reach 92-104 degrees with relative humidity plummeting to 8-20% and winds reaching 15-20 mph on Thursday afternoon, according to officials.