Gifford Fire scorches over 120,000 acres, jumps Hi Mountain Road

August 14, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The Gifford Fire burning in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties injured a firefighter, burned a structure and jumped a containment line at Hi Mountain Road near Pozo on Wednesday afternoon. The fire is currently 41% containment.

The fire has destroyed five structures, scorched 130,440 acres and injured 11 people, according to a Wednesday evening update. The fire jumped a containment line, before firefighters stopped the spreading fire.

“Crews progressed along the south side of Garcia Ridge, working through Caldwell Trout Creek and Hi Mountain Road,” according to the Wednesday evening update. “This area consists of steep, rugged terrain where crews have spent the past few days preparing for the anticipated fire activity. Following the firing operation, crews were actively engaged in looking for hotspots and any areas of concern, aided by water-dropping helicopters on steep ridges.”

Elsewhere, crews are currently in mop-up and patrol status.

The fire is threatening 821 structures. There are 4,976 firefighters and other personnel battling the fire.

Highway 166 is now open. Construction at various locations will result in flagging and delays of up to one hour.

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:

• Highway 166 is open to one lane traffic ( exptect up to 1 hour delays)
• Colson Canyon Road at Tepusquet Road
• Huasna Townsite south at Huasna and Huasna East at the same intersection
• Huasna Road has been restricted to residents and essential traffic only
• Huasna Road East of School Road has been restricted to residents and essential traffic only
• Lopez at Orcutt has been restricted to residents and essential traffic only
• Lopez Drive at the dam
• Pozo Road closed from Las Pilitas Road to Red Hill Road
• Avenales Ranch Road closed from Pozo Road to the South end
• Park Hill Road closed from River Road to Pozo Road
• River Road closed from Park Hill Road to Pozo Road
• Santa Margarita Lake Road is closed
• Pozo Road at Santa Margarita Lake has been restricted to residents and essential traffic only
• Pozo Road at River Road has been restricted to residents and essential traffic only

Officials have ordered multiple evacuations in the area.

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