What is the name and location of the wildfire?
As of July 17, 2025, the Madre Fire is nearly entirely contained and has burned 80,779 in Central California, specifically along Highway 166, about 25 miles east of Santa Maria (1)(2). It burned in a remote part of the Los Padres National Forest and spread onto the Carrizo Plain.
By acreage, the Madre fire was the largest wildfire in California of 2025.
Which cities or areas are affected by the Madre wildfire?
A largely rural fire, the Madre fire affected Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, and Ventura County.
Wildfire smoke impacted air quality in several cities, including:
What is the current containment status of the Madre wildfire?
As of July 17, the Madre Fire is approximately 97% contained (3).
Firefighting efforts are ongoing, with multiple agencies involved, including the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), the Bureau of Land Management, and local resources.
Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?
According to CalFire, evacuation orders have been issued for 9 zones.
Evacuation warnings are in place for 6 additional zones.
A temporary evacuation point has been established at the CA Valley CSD located at 13080 Soda Lake Rd, Santa Margarita, CA 93453.
Protect yourself from wildfire smoke
See how a wildfire smoke air purifier can help clean your air.
How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?
Always plan ahead to protect yourself from wildfire smoke.
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter wildfire smoke.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
As of July 17, 2025, this fire is 97% contained.
