Gifford started along Highway 166 east of Santa Maria, adjacent to the footprint of the year’s previous biggest fire: Madre, which last month burned 80,779 acres in the Carrizo Plain area. Evacuation orders for Gifford covered almost 600 square miles, and Highway 166 was closed between Highway 101 and New Cuyama.

A wildfire in Southern California has burned over 72,000 acres in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, officials said.

The Gifford Fire rages to more than 82,000 acres of destruction. The photos from the frontlines show how intense the California wildfire has become.