The Gifford fire had burned 65,000 acres by early Monday, scorching through part of Los Padres National Forest in south-central California and putting hundreds of people under evacuation orders.
The wildfire was 3 percent contained as of early Monday, officials said. Three people had been injured by the blaze, and 460 structures were threatened.
The Gifford fire grew out of multiple smaller blazes along a stretch of Highway 166, a road that cuts across the forest and is known for fires caused by passing cars. Firefighters have been battling the blazes in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties since Friday, fire officials said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Hot and dry conditions and winds helped fuel the fire’s growth on Monday. The National Weather Service warned of winds with gusts of 15 to 20 miles per hour in the afternoon.
One person sustained serious burns and was transported to a hospital in Santa Maria for treatment, officials said. Two contractors were taken to a hospital after their vehicle rolled over. One sustained moderate injuries, while the other had minor ones.
With gusty winds expected through Monday, the fire risk remained elevated in Southern California, the Weather Service said.
More than 1,000 personnel, as well as 50 engines and aircraft, were battling the blaze, officials said. The fire is burning in a rural, sparsely populated agricultural area, according to park officials.
If the fire continues moving east, it could reach terrain recently burned by the Madre fire, which scorched more than 80,000 acres in San Luis Obispo County and was declared fully extinguished just last weekend, the authorities said.
Yan Zhuang is a Times reporter in Seoul who covers breaking news.
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