LOS ANGELES, United States, July 8, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - More than 1,400 firefighters battling California's largest wildfire so far this year were gaining ground Monday, six months after a raging inferno devastated parts of Los Angeles.

Crews working by air and by ground in Los Padres National Forest have the so-called Madre Fire about 30 percent contained, according to CAL FIRE, the state's department of fire protection.

"Firefighters made good progress around the outer perimeter of the fire, creating direct and indirect lines, and increased containment," CAL FIRE said in a dispatch, adding that one firefighter was injured.

It noted that dry brush, sustained winds and high temperatures were fueling the flames.

The Madre Fire has devoured some 80,500 acres (32,500 hectares) of mainly vegetation.

Around 200 people are under evacuation orders, with dozens of buildings threatened by the flames.

The cause of the fire, which broke out Wednesday in San Luis Obispo County about 215 miles (350 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, remains under investigation.

CAL FIRE reported that in a single day last week, firefighters were battling 65 separate wildfires across the state, where hotter and drier conditions are on the horizon.

The state is still recovering from fires that swept through parts of Los Angeles in January, killing 30 people and leaving some neighborhoods in ruins.

California is facing challenges due to staffing and resource cuts to several federal agencies addressing fire prevention and firefighting under orders from President Donald Trump's administration.