RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — On Saturday, crews made significant progress in combating a smoky wildfire in southern California that had erupted the previous day and led to mandatory evacuations.
The Springs Fire, spanning approximately 6.3 square miles (16 square kilometers) in Riverside County, situated about 64 miles (103 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, was reported to be at least 45% contained on Saturday, according to a fire department spokesperson. This was an improvement from the 25% containment reported on Friday.
Although strong winds with gusts reaching 45 mph (72 kph) were forecasted for Saturday, Terra Fernandez, a public safety information specialist for the Riverside County Fire Department, noted that the winds had “dissipated a bit” since Friday, aiding the fire crews’ efforts.
“We’re feeling confident. The winds have died down so it’s assisting us in making more progress,” she said. Fernandez also highlighted the efforts put into constructing and reinforcing containment lines around the fire’s perimeter.
“We have natural equestrian trails around where a lot of the structures are and so that helps our firefighters make access,” she noted. “And the humidity increasing this evening will also help.”
Fernandez confirmed that so far, no structures had been damaged or destroyed.
Firefighting crews started early on Saturday, using aerial drops of water and retardant to combat the blaze. Approximately 260 personnel are involved in tackling the fire, including crews from the region who are working on building and strengthening containment lines and laying hoses, she mentioned.
Fewer than a dozen zones in the county remained under mandatory evacuation orders, while evacuation warnings in other areas were lifted. The exact number of households affected by these orders was not immediately available.
The fire is located in a densely populated unincorporated section of Riverside County, which also serves as a recreational area close to the city of Moreno Valley, with a population of about 200,000.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
