Gifford Fire grows to more than 125,000 acres as it shifts west in SLO County
The Gifford Fire grew nearly 3,000 acres overnight and then added another 3,600 Tuesday, reaching a total of 125,648 acres as of 4 p.m., according to the Los Padres National Forest.
Northeastern winds after sunset Monday evening drove the fire to spread west along the Garcia Ridge, close to established containment lines along Hi Mountain Road, which runs between the Garcia and Santa Lucia Wildnerness areas.
Crews worked overnight to remove vegetation in advance of the main fire to prepare for a “strategic firing operation,” which is tentatively scheduled to take place Tuesday afternoon contingent on weather conditions, manageable fire behavior and complete readiness of resources.
Firefighters established containment lines on the northeast side of the fire near Los Pelados and Midway roads. Crews laid hoses in the area and worked to extinguish any remaining hot spots Tuesday. Other parts of the perimeter were in mop-up and patrol status.
Hot and dry conditions were expected to continue Tuesday, with poor humidity recovery in higher elevations through the night. Winds on the ridges were expected to shift from northeasterly Monday evening to northwesterly during the daytime on Tuesday, with gusts reaching up to 20 miles per hour in the afternoon and evening.
Firing operation to help cut off fire’s forward progress ongoing
In an update Tuesday evening, the Los Padres National Forest said containment had increased to 37% amid a strategic firing operation that aimed to cut off the fire’s forward progress.
According to the update, ground crews are ignited vegetation along established and reinforced containment lines around the border of the Garcia Wilderness, with helicopters assisting in steep, inaccessible areas along Garcia Ridge.
“This operation aims to eliminate vegetation ahead of the main fire, depriving it of fuel and preventing its spread to the north,” the update said.
From there, holding crews were expected to work behind the ignition teams to “ensure that the fire remains within the containment lines,” with assistance from water-dropping aircraft.
The operation is expected to conclude by mid-afternoon Wednesday.
Residents and visitors in the northern perimeter of the fire were advised to anticipate elevated smoke while the firing operation is ongoing.
Elsewhere, the fire perimeter is currently in mop-up and patrol stage, the agency said. Tuesday was expected to be the last night shift for crews working in these areas. On Wednesday, those resources will be relocated north to assist with fire suppression efforts, the agency said.
Where are evacuation orders, warnings for Gifford Fire?
Evacuation orders expanded Monday to zones SLC-193, SLC-194, SLC-221, SLC-224, which include the areas of Pozo Road, Santa Margarita Lake, Parkhill Road and River Road, and west of the Los Padres National Forest.
Zones SLC-172 and SLC-192 were both added to the evacuation warning, which includes the areas north of Santa Margarita Lake, south of Las Pillas Road, west of Los Padres National Forest and east of Pozo Road.
To view all areas under evacaution orders and warnings, visit readyslo.org/GiffordFire.
This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 11:27 AM.
