This story was updated on Friday, July 4 at 3 p.m.
A wildfire in a wilderness area west of Kern County exploded in size as dry, hot weather raised the fire risk for large portions of the state as the July Fourth holiday arrived.
The Madre Fire became California's largest blaze so far this year, ripping through grasslands after breaking out Wednesday in southeastern San Luis Obispo County. By Friday afternoon, it had reached 70,800 acres (See the latest update on Madre Fire from Cal Fire here). It was just 10% contained.
Evacuation orders and warnings were issued for tiny communities in three counties, including San Luis Obispo, Kern and Santa Barbara counties. Flames moved through hilly terrain toward the Carrizo Plain National Monument, about 45 miles east of Santa Maria.
The region contains vast grasslands that draw visitors in the spring to see its wildflowers.
Part of Route 166 East was closed Thursday, and there was “no estimate for re-opening,” California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, said on social media.
The fire was pushed by summer gusts that typically increase as the sun starts going down, said meteorologist Ryan Kittell with the National Weather Service.
“The winds are pretty light during the day, but they do pick up pretty substantially in the afternoon and evening hours,” Kittell said.
He said gusts could reach 40 mph (64 kph) later in the day Thursday, posing new challenges for firefighters working in 95-degree F heat (35 C).
Dozens of smaller wildfires were burning across the state.
Southern California's Wolf Fire reached 55% containment Thursday after charring more than 3.7 square miles (9.5 square kilometers) of dry brush since breaking out June 29 in Riverside County east of Los Angeles.
Unrelated to the wildfires, a fire burned four homes in the Pacoima neighborhood before being brought under control Thursday night. Fireworks were exploding when crews arrived at the scene and a woman was transported to a hospital in critical condition, the Los Angeles Times reported.
KVPR's Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado contributed.