Springs Fire now 95% contained in Moreno Valley after overnight work from firefighters
Firefighters made significant progress on the Springs Fire overnight after it threatened Moreno Valley neighborhoods in an intense and rapidly developing situation on Friday.
As of Cal Fire's 6:45 p.m. update, the fire had burned 4,176 acres and was 95% contained. Containment was at 25% as of 10:10 p.m. Friday.
Evacuation orders remained in place as of Saturday morning, according to Cal Fire. An evacuation map can be found here.
The fire began at 11:01 a.m. at Gilman Springs Road and quickly spread due to "light flashy fuels," according to Cal Fire. No cause has been revealed.
Powerful Santa Ana winds accelerated the blaze with gusts reaching as high as 70 miles per hour. Diminishing winds overnight, with more optimistic forecasts for Saturday, allowed firefighters to gain a greater hold on the fire.
Those high-powered winds created difficult situations for firefighters and the fire approached neighborhoods in the evening hours. As of Saturday, no structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.
As of Saturday morning, 260 personnel were assigned to the Springs Fire, including the deployment of two helicopters and 36 fire engines. Including Cal Fire, assisting crews include city fire departments from Hemet, Riverside, Palm Springs, Idyllwild and Corona, as well as Pechanga and Morongo.
A series of evacuation orders and warnings have since been lifted due to the immense progress that crews were able to make overnight into Saturday.
"Crews will continue to monitor and patrol the fire perimeter throughout the evening," firefighters said. "Please use caution when entering the area and returning to your residence as there are heavy equipment and personnel working."
