On Thursday, July 3, a California wildfire ignited in a remote area near Highway 166, rapidly expanding to become the state’s largest blaze by early Friday, July 4. The Madre Fire, as it is called, initially erupted around 9:30 p.m. PT and swiftly devoured approximately 35,000 acres overnight, advancing towards the Carrizo Plain and parts of Los Padres National Park. By Friday morning, the fire had scorched around 52,592 acres, with containment progress at 10%. The estimated damage stands at $20 million based on USA TODAY’s wildfire data tracker. Dense smoke from the inferno has blanketed regions along the southern edge of the Central Valley, drifting towards the Channel Islands and potentially causing light to moderate smoke in the Los Angeles to San Diego Metro area. Fortunately, there have been no reported casualties or property losses as of Friday morning. Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued by Cal Fire for multiple areas surrounding the fire. Refer to the California wildfire map for updated information on the Madre Fire – the largest wildfire in California this year.
