The so-called Madre fire broke out on Wednesday in a mountainous area of the Los Padres National Forest, in San Luis Obispo County, about 350 kilometers north of Los Angeles, and in less than 24 hours consumed over 14,000 hectares of vegetation, according to official estimates.
The flames sent up thick columns of smoke and forced about 200 people from nearby neighborhoods to evacuate, as reported by the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
The fire also led to the closure of a major state highway. The California Fire Department reported that as of Thursday, the teams had achieved 5% containment of the blaze, the cause of which is under investigation.
The Madre fire is one of several burning this summer in the western United States, where forecasts predict a very tough wildfire season this year, following a dry winter and warm spring.
The California Fire Department reported that between Tuesday and Wednesday, they responded to combat more than 65 wildfires in the state, where hotter and drier weather conditions are expected.
California will also face additional challenges due to personnel and resource cuts to various federal agencies working on fire prevention and suppression, implemented by the government of President Donald Trump.
California is still recovering from the fires that devastated Los Angeles and resulted in the death of 30 people in January.