Wildfire explodes to more than 52,000 acres in 1 day
The Madre Fire ignited Wednesday afternoon in San Luis Obispo County, according to Cal Fire. It has since grown to more than 52,500 acres and is 5% contained as of Thursday afternoon, fire officials said.
MORE: Wolf Fire in Southern California explodes over 2,400 acres amid dry, windy conditions
The fire -- the largest in California so far this year, according to Cal Fire data -- is burning in a largely rural area in the Los Padres National Forest near Highway 166, officials said.
Evacuation orders have been issued near Highway 166 in San Luis Obispo County. The highway is closed from U.S. 101 near Santa Maria to Perkins Road in the New Cuyama area of Santa Barbara County, according to the California Department of Transportation.
All Bureau of Land Management lands in Carrizo Plain National Monument are closed to public access due to the fire, the agency said Thursday.
Approximately 50 structures are threatened, according to Cal Fire.
Officials warned that the fire has a high rate of spread.
MORE: LA fires aftermath: How people are rebuilding after losing almost everything
"With the current weather, terrain, and fuel conditions this fire has seen exponential growth in less than 24 hours in multiple counties surrounding the San Luis Obispo County area," the U.S. Forest Service - Los Padres National Forest said on social media Thursday morning. "Smoke impacts will be far-reaching."
The cause of the wildfire is under investigation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
41 minutes ago
- Fox News
Rip current beach rescues show swimmers face deadly risks: what to know to stay safe
As hundreds of people on the East Coast were rescued from rip currents in the past week, one expert shared tips on how to stay safe when heading to the beach over the 4th of July weekend. Since Sunday, over 100 people had to be rescued from beaches located along the Jersey Shore, mainly due to rip currents according to the Asbury Park Press. In Wilmington, North Carolina, 10 people had to be rescued as a result of rip currents on Saturday, according to WAVY. Belmar, New Jersey lifeguard Harry Harsin said Sunday was one of the busiest days he's seen on the job. "The water wasn't very cooperative," Harsin said. "And with the heat and the slow start to summer, everyone wanted to come down to the beach. We were mobbed. It was an insane day." According to the United States Lifesaving Association, over 100 deaths occur every year stemming from rip currents, making it a water safety hazard for beachgoers. Tens of thousands of people are rescued from rip currents annually, according to NOAA. Capt. Geoff Fahringer, a former Collier County Sheriff's Office dive team captain and licensed U.S. Coast Guard boating captain told Fox News Digital it's critical for beachgoers to be "Situationally aware" whenever they're in the water. "But another thing that comes into the situationally aware attitude, is [to] study the current, no matter what the current might be when you first get to the beach," Fahringer said. "You get a couple of floats or noodles and you go out in front of your blanket with some friends and you're talking and yacking as you're floating out there. And you realize 15 minutes later, you're 300 yards south of where you started." As far as rip currents, Fahringer said it's important for people to "learn your beach." "You know, there's certain beaches where very seldom do you ever see a rip current. There's other beaches, especially on the East coast, where the water is more aggressive, where it's pretty common," Fahringer said. "So know your beach, know what it looks like, and be aware if you're almost something out there floating or swimming or something, and you realize, gee, I wasn't really this far out a minute ago, or you start swimming in and you realize you're not getting anywhere." In these situations, Fahringer said it's important not to panic and to "swim 90 degrees to either side slowly, just dog paddle, doesn't matter." "Just get out of that rip current. They're not usually that wide where you can get yourself out of it and then get yourself back in to the shore," he said.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Firefighters tackle heath blaze overnight
Firefighters have spent the night tackling a wildfire at a nature reserve. The fire near Blackhill Road, Holton Heath near Poole broke out on Thursday evening with crews from nine stations along with two Unimog vehicles from Wareham sent. Crews have worked through the night to get the fire under control with firefighters from Poole, Springbourne, Bere Regis and Wimborne sent to take over shortly after 06:00 BST. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews expected to be at the heath through Friday with those living nearby urged to keep windows and doors closed as it is causing a considerable amount of smoke. St Gabriel's Pre-school on nearby Keysworth Road said children would not be playing outside as the smoke from the heath fire was blowing towards the school. It said it would be keeping windows and doors closed as advised. Posting a message to parents on social media shortly before 07:30, the school said the temperature in the rooms was "already at 22C "It's going to be will leave the decision with you if you want to send your children in. We of course will allow early collection if you want them to do part day. "We do hope in the next couple of hours things change and we will be able to play out or have the doors open." On Tuesday evening a wildfire took hold of an area of Turbary Heath in Bournemouth. The fire at the nature reserve is being treated as arson and police are investigating. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Nature reserve wildfire treated as arson New £500k vehicle to tackle heath fires Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority
CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Fireworks fly, safety takes center stage at Richmond's annual July 3 celebration
The City of Richmond held its annual fireworks show a day early. This happened as the city is cracking down on illegal fireworks being set off in their community. Fireworks blasted off into the night sky as a packed crowd gathered at Marina Bay Park. Some people came early and prepared. Pamela Christian's family set up these igloo tents to stay warm during the show. "Every year, the July 3rd celebration is windy," said Christian. "So we learned from the first one." This is a way for the city to provide a fun and safe way to enjoy fireworks. "I think we're constantly having conversations to make sure that we provide a festive and celebratory environment for our citizens but also making sure we constantly consider safety," said Deputy Fire Chief Rico Rincon with the Richmond Fire Department This year, the city is cracking down on illegal fireworks. Residents say the fireworks start weeks before the 4th of July and can go into August. "My street is probably one of the busier ones," said Marissa. "I can sit on my front porch and see fireworks for miles." The police department will have more than 20 additional officers patrolling the streets to crack down on the problem on the 4th of July. Those caught could face fines up to $1000. "This year we're going to have more cops on the streets than ever," said Chief Bisa French with the Richmond Police Department. "We're going to be using the drones so we can actually catch people in the act because we know the toll that's taken on our community over the years, and we want to have an impact on that." The only issue on this night may have been the chilly wind. The fog even stayed away long enough for people to see a spectacular fireworks show. "I think it's real special to have it here so everybody can come together and enjoy it," said Christian.
