California hit by major wildfire: the "Madre Fire" ravaged nearly 213 km2 in 24 hours

As Donald Trump cuts federal agencies tasked with combating climate disasters, more than 300 firefighters were battling the largest wildfire so far this year in California on Thursday, July 3, as fears mount of a particularly dangerous summer.

The Madre Fire broke out Wednesday in San Luis Obispo County, a rural region in the center of the state. About 200 people are under evacuation orders, and several dozen buildings are threatened by the flames. But more than the potential damage, it's the speed at which the fire is spreading that is impressive: in 24 hours, it has ravaged nearly 213 km², according to the latest bulletin from the CalFire agency . Images from the state's warning system show thick columns of black smoke towering over the hills of the rolling region.

"The state will always be there to protect all communities, regardless of where a fire occurs," California Governor Gavin Newsom's office said on X, announcing the dispatch of reinforcements.

This fire comes after several other blazes in recent days, prompting evacuations in the area east of Los Angeles and raising fears of a difficult summer in California. The state is still reeling from the fires that ravaged the megalopolis and killed 30 people in January. The winter and spring were unseasonably dry in Southern California, and vegetation is already parched as if it were midsummer.

This increased risk comes as Donald Trump implements significant budget cuts and layoffs at the Forest Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and FEMA, the federal disaster management agency.

On Wednesday, Governor Newsom, a possible Democratic presidential candidate for 2028, accused Mr. Trump of not providing sufficient funding for brush clearing operations and controlled burning to prevent wildfires.

"We need an equivalent commitment in terms of resources, not fine words," he said, recalling that "57% of the land in this state is under the jurisdiction of the federal government."