BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A wildfire that erupted Wednesday afternoon in San Luis Obispo County has rapidly expanded. So far, it's becoming the largest wildfire in California this year.

The Madre Fire, which began in the Los Padres National Forest, has grown to over 52,000 acres as of Thursday evening, surpassing the combined size of the Palisades and Eaton fires.

The blaze has forced the evacuation of more than 200 residents and put 50 structures at risk.

Highway 166 has been closed due to the fire, causing travel disruptions.

Jose Parugrug, a Kernville resident, said he encountered the closure unexpectedly during a trip to the coast. "We were going to go up to the coast, 166 like we usually d,o and all of a sudden I didn’t realize [the fire] until we got to Cuyama," he said. "They told us it wouldn’t be open for another 24 to 36 hours, so we had to double back, catch the 5, go up the 4,6, and head on over to the coast."

Heather Heinks, Outreach and Communications Manager for the Valley Air District, urged Kern County residents to remain vigilant. "The fire has the potential to sort of walk over and settle in the valley," she said. Heinks advised residents to monitor air quality, especially during the Fourth of July weekend, and suggested replacing home and car filters to mitigate smoke exposure. "Check the filter in your home, your HVAC system has a filter in it so let’s go ahead and replace that so it’s fresh and can grab all the particulates that’ll potentially be headed your way," she said.

Debi Brown, a Maricopa resident, expressed her readiness to evacuate if necessary. "I have a to-go bag ready to go," she said.

Despite the fire, Taft is expected to proceed with its Independence Day fireworks celebration. The Taft Chamber of Commerce will monitor conditions and provide updates on its Instagram account.

At this time, the fire is only 5% contained.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.