California fire protection crews on Saturday were getting a handle on the wildfire that broke out the previous evening in Riverside county, fanned by high winds that quickly spread the flames to more than 4,100 acres.
The Springs fire, about 64 miles (103km) east of Los Angeles, was at least 45% contained on Saturday, a fire department spokesperson said. It was 25% contained late on Friday evening.
The windy conditions that caused the fire to spread quickly had prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue a wind advisory for parts of southern California through midday Friday, warning of gusts up to 50mph. Gusts of up to 45mph were predicted for Saturday as well.
However, Terra Fernandez, public safety information specialist for the Riverside county fire department, said winds had “dissipated a bit” since Friday, helping the efforts of firefighting crews.
“We’re feeling confident,” she said. “The winds have died down so it’s assisting us in making more progress.”
Fernandez also credited efforts to build and strengthen containment lines around the fire perimeter.
“We have natural equestrian trails around where a lot of the structures are and so that helps our firefighters make access,” she said. “And the humidity increasing this evening will also help.”
Crews began early on Saturday dropping water and fire retardant all around the blaze by air. About 260 personnel are battling the fire, including crews from around the region who are building and strengthening the containment lines and laying hose, Fernandez said.
The fire is concentrated in an area mostly north and east of Lake Perris, burning portions of the surrounding state recreational area. No structures have been destroyed or damaged, according to the California department of forestry and fire protection (Cal Fire).
And while the blaze triggered evacuation warnings for Moreno Valley, a city of roughly 200,000 that borders the Lake Perris state recreation area, less than a dozen zones were under warnings by 9am on Saturday.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
A smaller fire that broke out in Los Angeles county on Friday night, the Crown fire, burned 345 acres before crews were able to stop its forward progression. By Saturday morning, the fire was 74% contained and all evacuation warnings had been lifted for the unincorporated community of Acton.
As of Saturday, California had reported 504 wild land fires so far in 2026, according to Cal Fire, brought on by above normal temperatures and lack of precipitation. Higher than average Santa Ana wind activity only helps to fan the flames once a brush fire starts.
Associated Press contributed reporting
