Mandatory evacuations, health warnings, hundreds of buildings under threat as new blaze spreads

While the cause of the Gifford Fire remains under investigation, the implications are already clear for carriers, reinsurers, and policymakers alike. With over 100,000 residents in Santa Maria alone still facing significant disruption, and drought-parched landscapes primed for ignition across the state, wildfire is no longer a seasonal anomaly – it is a year-round insurance reality.