The Gifford Fire has reached "mega fire" status at over 119,000 acres burned and has become California's largest fire this year.

Thousands near LA ordered to evacuate as fast-moving Canyon fire spreads - Hundreds of firefighters are battling the Canyon Fire, which ignited Thursday afternoon in Ventura and Los Angeles counties

Canyon Fire becomes one of four wildfires burning across Southern California on Thursday, forcing evacuations east of Lake Piru as crews battle flames.

Temperatures in the area are near 100 degrees and humidity as low as 15 percent. The southern part of California has seen very little rain, drying out vegetation and making it "ripe to burn," the National Weather Service (NWS) for Los Angeles warned.

The Gifford Fire, which has burned over 83,000 acres since it began on Friday, is now the largest blaze in California this year, according to Cal Fire.

Neil Smith lost everything when the California Eaton Fire destroyed his home in January 2025. With this in mind, you can imagine his relief when Smith learned about a state-led initiative promising a 90-day mortgage forbearance without penalties.

WALDMAN LOOKS BACK ON THE AUGUST COMPLEX. AUGUST 2020. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEAT WAVE ON THE 17TH. A STARTLINGLY POWER LIGHTNING STORM STRIKES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. DOZENS OF WILDFIRES STARTED THAT DAY.