A southern California wildfire that has threatened thousands of homes is still only 21% contained, officials said Saturday, warning of the blaze’s “extreme” behavior amid low humidity and summer heat.

The Gifford Fire , which started Aug. 1, has prompting widespread evacuation orders and scorched more than 104,000 acres across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, where evacuation orders and warnings are in place.

Nearly 3,600 firefighters are battling the flames amid hot, dry conditions. 3

“We have hot weather, and we have low relative humidity,” said Santa Barbara County Fire Department Capt. Scott Safechuck.

“So, we expect extreme fire behavior.”

Gifford’s destruction has already surpassed last month’s Madre Fire in San Luis Obispo County, which burned 80,000 acres be

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