The Madre Fire in central California expanded to nearly 53,000 in one day, making it the largest wildfire this year in California.

The fire sparked in the Los Padres National Forest in San Luis Obispo County and was growing exponentially, officials warned. The area is mostly uninhabited.

A fast-moving California wildfire exploded to become the state’s biggest of the year, forcing evacuations and the closure of a highway, and evoking memories of the devastating blazes that laid waste to parts of the state in January.