What is the name and location of the wildfire?
As of September 12, 2025, the Gifford Fire is a mostly contained fire in Santa Barbara County, California. It is located along Highway 166, approximately 30 to 36 miles east of Santa Maria in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, California.
The fire is burning within the Los Padres National Forest and is situated just west of the area affected by the previous Madre Fire, which burned over 80,000 acres earlier this summer (1). The fire has overtaken the Madre Fire's status as the largest wildfire in California for 2025 (2).
The fire spans both sides of Highway 166 and is impacting a largely rural area surrounded by dry, forested terrain (3).
For a more detailed look, see Santa Barbara’s air quality map.
Which cities or areas are affected by the Gifford Fire?
What is the current containment status of the Gifford Fire?
As of September 12, 2025, the Gifford Fire has burned approximately 132,761 acres and is 98% contained (4).
The fire began as multiple small spot fires that quickly merged and expanded, driven by dry fuels, low humidity, and sunlight. It continues to burn actively on both sides of Highway 166.
Firefighters are utilizing both ground crews and aerial resources, including helicopters and Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs), to suppress the flames and protect surrounding communities (5).
Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?
All evacuation orders have been lifted.
Protect yourself from wildfire smoke
See how a wildfire smoke air purifier can help clean your air.
How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?
Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
As of September 12, 2025, this fire is 98% contained.
