3 injured as Gifford Fire continues to grow in SLO, Santa Barbara counties

Update, 2:30 p.m.:

Two additional areas affected by the Gifford Fire have been ordered to evacuate and seven additional zones have been issued evacuation warnings.

Zones SLC-263 and LPF-014 have moved to evacuation orders Sunday afternoon, according to the SLO County Office of Emergency Services.

Zones LPF-011 and 013 as well as zones SLC-239, 225, 264, 298 and 262 are all under evacuation warning.

An interactive map of all the zones in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties under evacuation warning and order can be found here.

Update, 12:45 p.m.:

An evacuation order has been ordered for an additional area of San Luis Obispo County as of Sunday morning due to the ongoing Gifford Fire.

Zone LPF-015, which had previously been issued an evacuation warning, moved to an evacuation order, according to an update from the SLO County Office of Emergency Services.

Parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties are being affected by the fire, and all other evacuation orders and road closures are still in effect.

What’s the difference between evacuation warning and order?

So far, one zone in SLO County remains under evacuation warning, while many others now fall under evacuation order.

What does it mean for a zone to be in evacuation warning or order?

According to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website, an evacuation warning is an “impending” danger to lives or property, and advises people to begin the process of packing up their belongings.

An evacuation order is an “immediate” danger to people’s lives in the affected area, and people under this order should act swiftly to leave.

Many evacuation warnings fall under the assumption that an evacuation order will soon follow for residents in a given affected area, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services website said.

Will the Gifford Fire continue to grow?

According to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, the Gifford Fire will likely grow toward the north and or northeast tonight.

In a post on its X account, the agency said due to very warm and dry conditions, as well as northwest winds predicted to gust at 15 to 25 miles per hour later Sunday afternoon, the fire could grow vertically as a result.

For more information of the fire, visit ReadySLO.org.

Original story:

The Gifford Fire, which sparked Friday afternoon and continued into the weekend, grew in acreage overnight in parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County.

The fire reached 39,676 acres and remained 5% contained as of Sunday morning, according to the SLO County Office of Emergency Services.

Just west of the Madre Fire, which reached over 80,000 acres in July, the Gifford Fire has stretched into the Los Padres National Forest along the south end of Highway 166 — which remained closed following the update.

In a news release late Saturday afternoon, the Los Padres National Forest Service said three people who had been injured due to the fire. Meanwhile, a total of 226 people have been evacuated and 60 structures are under threat, the release said.

All evacuation warnings and orders remain in effect for the areas impacted by the fire.

Evacuation warnings were in effect for zones LPF-015 and SLC-297. Zones included in evacuation orders were SLC-335, 336 and 337 as well as LPF-016, 017, 018 and 019.

1 civilian, 2 contractors injured in Gifford Fire

As of Saturday, three people had been injured as a result of the Gifford Fire, according to the Forest Service.

One civilian sustained burn injuries and was transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital, the release said.

Two contractors were injured in a UTV vehicle rollover incident.

One sustained moderate injuries and was retrieved by a helicopter, the other was taken by ambulance with minor injuries.

All were taken to the Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria for treatment.

Evacuation shelter opens in Santa Maria

A temporary evacuation point in Santa Maria opened Saturday evening for evacuees affected by the Gifford Fire.

Benjamin Foxen Elementary School at 4949 Foxen Canyon Road in Santa Maria opened for those seeking shelter from the fire. American Red Cross personnel were on site for assistance and information.

For more details and information, visit ReadySLO.org.

This story was originally published August 3, 2025 at 9:42 AM.