Gifford Fire burns over 65,000 acres in Southern California, forcing evacuations, injuring three, threatening homes, and worsening air quality, containment remains at just 3%.

The Gifford Fire continued to burn Monday in California’s Central Coast region, prompting expanded evacuation orders and road closures as the blaze grew to more than 65,000 acres. The fire, which ignited Friday afternoon northeast of Santa Maria in the Los Padres National Forest,

Dangerous fire weather conditions fueled the explosive spread of the Gifford Fire in Southern California, increasing to nearly 50,000 acres and forcing more people from their homes across two counties over the weekend, as firefighters worked to contain the inferno in challenging terrain.