The department said those in affected areas should listen to firefighters when told to evacuate, and that cost should not be an "obstacle."

The Canyon Fire, which began on Thursday afternoon, has blazed through nearly 5,000 acres in less than 24 hours.

Evacuation orders were lifted Friday evening in parts of Southern California as firefighters battling the Canyon Fire made progress taming the blaze.

The Gifford Fire burning in central California has burned more than 119,000 acres as of early Monday, having expanded to reach "megafire" status since it began earlier in August. Newsweek contacted U.S. Forest Service for comment via email on Monday.

The Gifford Fire burning through the rugged backcountry of California's Central Coast is now the state's largest wildfire of the year. It has reached so-called "mega-fire" status and is one of 38 large fires burning across nine states.