The Gifford Fire has reached "mega fire" status at over 119,000 acres burned and has become California's largest fire this year.

A rapidly spreading blaze in California is impacting communities in the Los Angeles area as thousands have been placed under evacuation orders, officials said.

Canyon Fire becomes one of four wildfires burning across Southern California on Thursday, forcing evacuations east of Lake Piru as crews battle flames.

Canyon Fire grows to nearly 5,000 acres in SoCal, forcing evacuations and emergency response amid extreme heat. This live blog is now closed.

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

The Gifford Fire is burning through thousands of acres becoming California’s largest blaze of the year and threatening thousands of homes and areas near Los Padres National Forest in the

The Gifford Fire has scorched more than 96,000 acres of California’s Central Coast, becoming the state’s largest wildfire of the year so far. The massive wildfire burning in eastern San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties was 15% contained as of Thursday, Aug. 7, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

CAL FIRE wrote on X on Friday: "California is under a heat wave, bringing hot, dry, and windy conditions, making wildfires more likely to occur and to spread fast. When temps soar, even a tiny spark can ignite disaster."

Firefighters scrambled to control a fast-moving wildfire that erupted Thursday morning in hills along Interstate 5 in northwestern Los Angeles County, officials said.

First discovered: 11:39 p.m. Aug. 15 Initial location: San Bernardino County, Calif. A new wildfire was reported today at 11:39 p.m. in San Bernardino County, California.

Five years after California’s fire siege, Governor Gavin Newsom reports how the state has improved its fire prevention efforts and firefighting capabilities.• Video Above: Newsom to unveil California budget plans In 2020,