[Update: Mon., Aug. 4, 2025, 11am] The Gifford Fire has grown to 65,062 acres and dropped from 5 to 3 percent containment as of Monday morning. The rapidly growing fire has expanded evacuation orders and warnings for Santa Barbara County further east as fire crews continue to work on improving containment lines and protecting the 460 structures threatened by the fire.
For information on evacuations in Santa Barbara County, visit ReadySBC.org and see the Gifford Fire Evacuation Map. A temporary evacuation point is now open at Benjamin Foxen Elementary School (4949 Foxen Canyon Rd., Santa Maria). For assistance, call the American Red Cross at (805) 678-3073.
Those needing to shelter large animals should call the County Animal Services Disaster Hotline at (805) 681-4332. To shelter small/domestic animals, the following locations are available:
- 111 Commerce Dr, Buellton (open to 5pm)
- 548 W Foster Rd, Santa Maria (open until 6pm)
- 1501 W Central Ave, Lompoc (open until 6pm)
- 5473 Overpass Rd, Goleta (open until 6pm)
[Original Story] The Gifford Fire near the border of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties grew to 43,118 acres as of 10 a.m. Sunday morning, forcing evacuation orders to be expanded as fire crews continue to construct a line along the Southern portions of the fire.
The blaze started Friday afternoon and exploded to 30,000 acres by Saturday, forcing evacuation orders to be issued in the areas surrounding Highway 166 in both counties. By Sunday morning, the fire expanded to 43,118 acres, with just five percent containment, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.Â
Areas near Upper Tepusquet Canyon, south of Highway 166, and the areas east of Willow Springs trailhead and west of Cottonwood Canyon Road are now ordered to evacuate. Residents in Lower Tepusquet Canyon (north of Sisquoc River) and the areas west of School House Road are now under evacuation warnings, and should be prepared to evacuate if necessary. Highway 166 is closed from Highway 101 to Highway 33.
More than 560 fire personnel have been assigned to assist, and crews are working to create a line on the southern portions of the fire at La Brea Road. Crews are also utilizing historical containment lines on the eastern edge of the fire from Miranda Pine Mountain to Cuyama Valley. Dozer lines are being constructed on the western flank, and lines are being established to prevent the fire from spreading into the Manchesina Wilderness to the north.
Captain Scott Safechuck of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department said 360 residences were threatened, some of which were near School House and Cottonwood Canyons. Conditions are expected to be hot and dry through the weekend, and onshore winds could create more challenges on Sunday afternoon.
Both ground and air resources have been activated, and multiple agencies are fighting the fire, which is burning within Los Padres National Forest. The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District issued an Air Quality Watch for all of Santa Barbara County, as well as an Air Quality Alert for the Cuyama area; both remain in effect until conditions improve.
Emergency officials are urging residents to watch closely for changing conditions and updated evacuation plans. Realtime alerts will be issued at ReadySBC.org and the Watch Duty App.
The cause of the Gifford Fire is still under investigations, though the California Highway Patrol reported that the fire was possibly started by sparks from a motorist driving near Highway 166.
