Madre Fire scorches over 80,000 acres in California

By Beril Canakci

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Madre Fire burning in San Luis Obispo County has become California’s largest wildfire of the year, scorching more than 80,000 acres as of Monday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

As of Monday, containment had reached 30%, the data from Cal Fire showed.

According to officials, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The fire began Wednesday east of Santa Maria near the town of New Cuyama. Evacuation orders, warnings, and road closures remain in effect in parts of San Luis Obispo County, located about 100 miles north of Los Angeles.