State’s Largest Wildfire This Year Prompts Evacuations, Governor Attempts To Blame President Trump | JP
A vicious wildfire in California has quickly grown to nearly 80,000 acres and became the largest in the state so far this year.
The Madre Fire started Wednesday afternoon in San Luis Obispo County and spread to 79,630 acres.
Cal Fire said the blaze is 10% contained.
Gov. Gavin Newsom attempted to blame President Trump for the fire.
“The #MadreFire — which started on federal land Trump manages — is now the LARGEST wildfire of the year. Trump hasn’t said a word. His admin is proposing cuts to the Forest Service instead. Rake your forest, @realDonaldTrump,” Newsom said.
The #MadreFire — which started on federal land Trump manages — is now the LARGEST wildfire of the year.
Trump hasn’t said a word. His admin is proposing cuts to the Forest Service instead.
Rake your forest, @realDonaldTrump. pic.twitter.com/QalNy2Nmk3
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) July 5, 2025
“Popped back on to say, while @GavinNewsom tries to dunk on @realDonaldTrump bc the raging Madre Fire is burning unchecked, he’s ignoring that it started alongside Hwy 166 – where Caltrans is supposed to clear brush. My video was taken down the mountain from ignition point. (This isn’t political – it’s 30 miles from where I am),” RedState Editor Jennifer Van Laar said.
Popped back on to say, while @GavinNewsom tries to dunk on @realDonaldTrump bc the raging Madre Fire is burning unchecked, he’s ignoring that it started alongside Hwy 166 – where Caltrans is supposed to clear brush. My video was taken down the mountain from ignition point.
(This… https://t.co/byIyLuaW1L
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) July 3, 2025
More details from ABC News:
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 were 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.
“Fire behavior is expected to be extreme, characterized by rapid uphill runs and wind-driven head fire spread. The presence of dry, cured annual grasses will support high rates of spread with intense flame lengths. Alignment of slope and wind will further exacerbate fire behavior, creating challenging suppression condition,” Cal Fire stated, according to USA TODAY.
Watch additional coverage below:
A fast-moving blaze in California is exploding in size, becoming the largest wildfire in the state so far this year. The Madre Fire, fueled by dry brush, steep terrain and winds, has consumed more than 70,000 acres, officials say.
Read more: https://t.co/wDBo4PwGja pic.twitter.com/tm5mdx569e
— ABC News (@ABC) July 5, 2025
USA TODAY noted:
It is mostly burning in areas of grass, chaparral and oak woodland. The nearby Carrizo Plain National Monument was closed to pubic access on Thursday to allow firefighters to work freely.
Thick smoke has engulfed areas around the fire along the southern rim of the mainly agricultural Central Valley and was seen drifting south-southeastward over the Channel Islands. That means light to moderate smoke could appear over the Los Angeles to San Diego metro area.
As of Friday afternoon, 608 personnel, four helicopters, 46 fire engines and seven bulldozers had been assigned to fight the fire. In addition, seven firefighting air tankers were flying fire suppression missions over the area as conditions allowed according to the federal Incident Information System.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.
View the original article here.