According to Cal Fire the Madre Fire ignited in San Luis Obispo County due to unknown causes on July 2, in the afternoon. Burning 80,610 acres, the fire is the largest in California so far this year, according to Cal Fire data.
Officials said the fire is 97% contained as of July 17. The fast-moving Madre Fire is burning approximately two hours north of Los Angeles, kindled by strong winds and steep terrain that cause heat to rise quickly.
According to KTLA, “combined with lingering smoke from Fourth of July fireworks, officials warned that particle pollution levels could reach ‘unhealthy’ or even ‘hazardous’ levels for large portions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.”
With temperatures rising to 101 degrees on July 3 and 102 degrees on July 4, Madre Fire Public Information Officer Bert Fuiava expressed concern about the impact of the week’s rising temperatures on the fire.
“It really makes it difficult for our firefighters because the winds can shift from east to west or north to south at any time. So with warm and dry weather, fire behavior can change drastically,” Fuiava said.
Evacuation orders and warnings were issued for numerous communities near State Route 166. The highway was initially closed from U.S. 101 near Santa Maria to Perkins Road in New Cuyama, but closures were lifted on Tuesday, July 8.
Health officials encouraged residents in smoke-affected areas to remain indoors with doors and windows closed to reduce exposure as much as possible.
One structure was destroyed as of Monday, July 7. One firefighter injury was documented by Cal Fire, although the extent of the injury is unknown. 1,450 personnel, five helicopters, 82 fire engines, 16 dozers, 35 water tenders and 34 crews were fighting to mitigate the fire as of July 9.
Gavin Newsom announced the extensive completion of the public debris removal program for the Los Angeles firestorm on July 7, following the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“Local, state and federal governments are delivering the fastest wildfire cleanup in U.S. history. Nearly 10,000 homes cleared — months ahead of schedule — because recovery can’t wait,” Newsom said.
Governor Newsom signed a new executive order to accelerate the rebuilding of homes and schools and presented a blueprint for recovery in partnership with Los Angeles County officials.
After the Eaton and Palisades Fires destroyed 12,048 total properties, 9,195 have been cleared of debris. According to the Governor of California website, through California’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program, “crews removed more than 2.5 million tons — or 5.5 billion pounds — of ash, debris, metal, concrete and contaminated soil in nine months’ time.”
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced the provision of an additional $101 million in funding to amplify recovery and rebuilding efforts from the 2025 wildfires within Los Angeles County on July 8. HCD’s Multifamily Finance Super NOFA is a funding program intended to meet the immediate housing needs of areas in Los Angeles affected by disaster, providing stability for fire-displaced families as soon as possible.
“I will continue to push my colleagues in Congress to approve additional disaster assistance for California, because natural disasters don’t discriminate between red or blue states,” U.S. Senator Alex Padilla said. “We have always been there to help our neighbors, and it’s time for Congress to step up and deliver the disaster aid California needs.”
Anika Denny is a News Intern for the summer 2025 quarter. She can be reached at adenny1@uci.edu.
Edited by Annabelle Aguirre