The blaze injured three people, put hundreds under evacuation orders and threatened 460 structures, officials said.

A nearly 40,000-acre wildfire forced people from their homes in two Southern California counties over the weekend as firefighters worked to contain the blaze in challenging terrain.

The Gifford fire has scorched more than 30,000 acres in less than two days in Los Padres National Forest as firefighters struggle to quell the blaze in the Sierra Madre mountains.