The Gifford Fire was first reported Friday near the Gifford trailhead in Los Padres National Forest, around 15 miles east of Santa Maria. It quickly ballooned to more than 23,000 acres within 24 hours.

A wildfire in Southern California has burned over 72,000 acres in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, officials said.

Gifford started along Highway 166 east of Santa Maria, adjacent to the footprint of the year’s previous biggest fire: Madre, which last month burned 80,779 acres in the Carrizo Plain area. Evacuation orders for Gifford covered almost 600 square miles, and Highway 166 was closed between Highway 101 and New Cuyama.