A wildfire in San Luis Obispo County exploded overnight to more than 35,000 acres, prompting evacuation orders, closing part of a highway and sending thick smoke billowing into neighboring counties. It is the biggest wildfire California has seen this year so far.
The blaze, which started on Wednesday afternoon, is burning in a remote area in the mountains between the Central Coast and the Central Valley, in the Los Padres National Forest. It is near State Route 166, which connects the Central Coast to the southern San Joaquin Valley. A section of the highway has been closed, California’s Department of Transportation said.
About 190 residents were under evacuation orders early Thursday, according to a New York Times analysis of the evacuation zones and LandScan population data.
Smoke from the fire was spreading over Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, the National Weather Service said on social media. Santa Barbara County issued an air quality watch because of the smoke, urging residents to stay alert.
Videos posted on social media by the U.S. Forest Service showed glowing red flames above the mountains and the sky thick with smoke. Significant resources had been deployed to the fire, including aircraft and bulldozers, the agency said.
Yan Zhuang is a Times reporter in Seoul who covers breaking news.
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