A wildfire in a wilderness area of central California has exploded in size. Dry, hot weather is raising the fire risk for large portions of the state ahead of the July Fourth holiday.

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 central California's wilderness rapidly expanded Thursday as hot, dry conditions heightened fire risks ahead of July Fourth. The Madre Fire, now the state's largest this year,