The blaze, which started in Fresno County, is now pushing west toward Monterey County on the Central Coast.
Plumes of smoke were visible Friday from Highway 33 and Avenal near Coalinga as flames tore through rolling hills and inched closer to the town of Parkfield.
RELATED: Tracking every wildfire burning throughout Central California
"It's very steep terrain. It's very hot, really slows down our production, which is why we've brought in so many more resources," said CAL FIRE spokesperson Alexander Hudson.
Air tankers launched from Coalinga Airport to support ground crews. More than 1,000 personnel are battling the fire, along with nine helicopters, 65 engines and 73 bulldozers.
The incident command center has been set up at Coalinga College, and CAL FIRE says additional crews were brought in overnight to strengthen containment lines.
The fire is burning in the footprint of the 2017 Garza Fire, which Hudson said is helping crews strategize.
"One significant benefit to this operation is we're able to look at the control lines that we used previously," Hudson said. "We have a really good working relationship with those landowners and we are utilizing some of those locations that were successful in the past."
Evacuations remain in place in parts of Fresno County, but officials expect containment lines to hold near Coalinga. The fire is now threatening ranchland in southeastern Monterey County.
"It is a lot of ranchland down in that southeast corner of Monterey County that touches both Kings and Fresno counties," said Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez. "We have a ton of golden rolling hills of oaks and pines, primarily cattle ranches."
MAP: See where California wildfires are burning right now
The fire is also moving toward one of the largest solar facilities in California, which Lopez said provides significant power to both the Central Coast and Central Valley.
Crews have secured the northern edge of the fire and are focusing on the southeast perimeter heading into the weekend.
Cooler temperatures are expected to aid firefighting efforts.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
For news and weather updates, follow Brisa Colón on Facebook, X and Instagram.