As the Gifford Fire grew above 118,060 acres Sunday, crews continued to improve and strengthen control and containment lines while working to keep the flames within boundaries in two counties while battling heavy vegetation and rugged terrain. 

The fire started the afternoon of Aug. 1 off Highway 166 about 15 miles northeast of Santa Maria, and quickly spread to the north and south in both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

On Sunday night, containment climbed to 33%. An afternoon announcement that containment had hit 32% prompted applause from audience members at a community meeting in Santa Margarita.

Firefighters are dealing with hot and dry conditions along with rugged terrain.

Afternoon temperatures will climb into the 90s to 104, while humidity continues to drop. Northwesterly winds could have gusts around 20 mph, which could fuel the flames.

“The Gifford Fire moderated today but continues to burn in the rugged Garcia Wilderness, advancing toward the Huasna Valley and the community of Pozo,” incident commanders said Sunday evening.

“This steep, inaccessible terrain has no recorded fire history, making containment challenging.”

Firefighters battling blazes in wilderness areas must avoid using some traditional methods and tools for fuel breaks, including bulldozers and power saws.

Crews on the southern end of the fire also are dealing with a wilderness area.

“On the southwest flank in the San Rafael Wilderness, crews are now cold-trailing—methodically checking for and extinguishing hidden heat along the fire’s edge—while finishing construction of direct handline to secure the perimeter. 

“The southeast flank remains within containment lines, where crews continue to strengthen and reinforce control to prevent any escape.”

Crews also continued to check for hot spots and burning embers at the edge of the fire’s southwest side. 

To get firefighters into the extremely remote areas, incident commanders have established helispots to safely land helicopters. This avoids crews wasting hours of time and energy hiking into those areas.

Hot and dry conditions are expected to continue into early this week, with cooler weather arriving after Tuesday.

“Although no significant wind events are expected after today, the hot and dry conditions will continue to produce very elevated fire weather conditions.”

As the fire’s size has grown, the force fighting the fire swelled to nearly 4,300 personnel. 

Three civilians and seven firefighters have been injured, but the extent of injuries wasn’t provided.

More than 800 residents have been evacuated due to the fire threatening 2,922 structures.

Two structures have been destroyed, but it’s not clear where those buildings were located. 

On Sunday, officials confirmed one residence and another building were lost, with both being in Santa Barbara County.

Damage assessment surveys will continue to assess the fire’s toll as conditions become safer.

A number of road closures remain in place, including Highway 166 between the Central Coast and the Cuyama Valley. Officials have not provided an estimate for when the road might reopen. 

Additionally, the Los Padres National Forest’s entire Santa Lucia Ranger District and a portion of the Mount Pinos Ranger District have closed temporarily for public safety and the protection of natural resources, officials said.

The closure, which includes popular spots such as Figueroa Mountain, became effective Friday and will extend through Feb. 8, 2026.