The Madre Fire, now the largest wildfire in California this year, expanded to 79,630 acres by Saturday, July 5, prompting expanded evacuation orders and worsening air quality across parts of

The Madre Fire was reported shortly after noon Wednesday, July 2, along Highway 166 about 25 miles east of Santa Maria.

The Madre Fire is the largest wildfire in California in 2025 — surpassing the Los Angeles-area fires that devastated parts of the region in January.