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.

A wildfire in California's San Luis Obispo County exploded in size Thursday, triggering evacuation orders and sending smoke plumes southeast into Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The big picture: The Madre Fire had grown to 35,

The fire has prompted evacuation orders, warnings, and highway closures in San Luis Obispo County around 100 miles north of Los Angeles.