The Madre Fire, now the largest wildfire in California this year, expanded to 79,630 acres by Saturday, July 5, prompting expanded evacuation orders and worsening air quality across parts of

A rapidly spreading wildfire in Southern California quickly became the state’s largest fire of the year after igniting on Wednesday, leading to evacuations.

The Madre fire burning in San Luis Obispo County has grown to become the largest wildfire California has seen this year. It comes after Southern California was ravaged by wildfires in January, which resulted in the widespread destruction of homes and the deaths of at least 29 people.