A massive California wildfire has prompted evacuation orders and a highway closure. The Madre Fire ignited Wednesday afternoon in San Luis Obispo County, according to Cal Fire. It has since grown to 79,

A fast-moving California wildfire exploded to become the state’s biggest of the year, forcing evacuations and the closure of a highway, and evoking memories of the devastating blazes that laid waste to parts of the state in January.

The Madre Fire is the largest wildfire in California in 2025 — surpassing the Los Angeles-area fires that devastated parts of the region in January.