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

At the outset of the blaze, the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office estimated that some 500 acres were already burned at the scene, near the 10000 block of Highway 166 in the Los Padres National Forest.

A map showing detail of the extent of the Madre Fire in Southern California the afternoon of July 4. The first began on July 2 and by July 4 had grown into the largest current fire burning in the ...

In 2024, only one wildfire was bigger than Madre’s current size — Park, which started on July 24 and became the second-largest single fire in California history.

Firefighters are working the uncontained Green Fire, Horse Fire and Helena Fire in the Shasta-Trinity forest. Here's what we know Wednesday.

The Madre fire surpassed 35,000 burned acres on Thursday, marking the biggest blaze in California this year.

Firefighters are working the uncontained Green Fire, Horse Fire and Helena Fire in the Shasta-Trinity forest. Here's what we know Wednesday.