While fire fighting operations are making progress on containing the Gifford fire burning east of Santa Maria, the largest in the state this year, there have been significant impacts, including damage to Highway 166 which could keep it from quickly reopening, officials said Thursday night.

Officials from Los Padres National Forest, Santa Barbara County Fire, the county Sheriff's Office and others, spoke to hundreds of people gathered in-person and online Thursday night for one of several community meetings in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties to update residents about the blaze and answer questions.

The fire, which began as a series of spot fires along Highway 166 northeast of Santa Maria on Aug. 1, has grown rapidly, consuming 99,232 acres as of Friday morning and blanketing su

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