A California wildfire that started on Wednesday afternoon continues to burn, having destroyed over 35,000 acres as of Thursday afternoon, with only a tiny portion contained.

The Madre Fire was reported shortly after noon Wednesday, July 2, along Highway 166 about 25 miles east of Santa Maria.

California’s largest wildfire of the year grew to an estimated 70,801 acres Friday, producing smoke that has affected millions of residents across the southern part of the state. The Madre Fire in