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Gifford Fire nearly 70% contained, 132,605 acres burned

August 15, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

There was no increase in the acreage burned by the Gifford Fire on Friday. The fire is currently 69% containment.

Burning in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, the fire has scorched 132,605 acres, destroyed five structures and injured 12 people, according to the Friday evening update.

“Southwesterly winds helped firefighters today by pushing any active fire back toward areas that had already burned on the northwest side of the Garcia Wilderness,” according to the evening update. “Tonight, crews will reinforce the existing containment lines.”

The fire is threatening 1,399 structures. There are 4,789 firefighters and other personnel battling the fire.

There have been several downgrades and cancellations of evacuations in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Check here for current evacuations.

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Aug. 1, a caller reported four small fires burning along Highway 166 about 30 miles northeast of Santa Maria, just west of where the Madre Fire started a month earlier.

Current road closures include:

  • Pozo Road from Las Pilitas Road to Red Hill Road
  • River Road from Parkhill Road to Pozo Road
  • Parkhill Road from River Road to Pozo Road
  • Avenales Ranch Road from Pozo Road to the south end
  • Santa Margarita Lake Road
  • Hi Mountain Road

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They closed Colson Campground for no reason, and now Rockfront and Miranda Pines are gone too. Our public spaces are getting fewer and further apart, there is no denying that. Don’t be fooled into thinking protecting our environment is a bad thing. These spaces are precious and can be destroyed or closed off in an instant.


3

Colson was closed after the 2023 major storms washed away the camp, roads, hillsides and the creekbed. The only repairs to the area, have been restricted to resident travel. Access to Rock Front also was also washed away this Winter, but was re-opened in March. Miranda Pines is closed off and on, due to lack of staffing needed for maintenance, and it’s also burned up.


The USFS is not closing any camp or OHV area willy-nilly. But nice try in pulling heart strings and spreading BS


-4

What you’re saying is; these places need more staff and regular maintenance so that they can remain open and safe. Great! I agree. So lets spend more tax money on that; aka “protecting our environment”.


0

I’ll let you in on a big secret that everyone else knows:


When a state “campground” is little used, the state stops throwing money at it. It makes no sense to continuously maintain a little known and little used site, as if it were Yosemite.


-2

Sir, I sincerely doubt you are the keeper of any secrets. Public land should remain publicly accessible at the very least. If you don’t believe that then you dont believe in America imo. Goodbye.


0