The Gifford Fire has scorched more than 83,000 acres of California's Central Coast, becoming the state's largest wildfire of the year so far. The massive wildfire burning in eastern San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties was 9% contained as of Wednesday, Aug. 6, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Since it started on Friday afternoon, the Gifford Fire -- which is situated within the Los Padres National Forest in Solvang, California -- has burned 83,933 acres and has only reached 9% containment, prompting evacuation orders for those in the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, officials said.

Gifford started along Highway 166 east of Santa Maria, adjacent to the footprint of the year’s previous biggest fire: Madre, which last month burned 80,779 acres in the Carrizo Plain area. Evacuation orders for Gifford covered almost 600 square miles, and Highway 166 was closed between Highway 101 and New Cuyama.