Two brush fires broke out as Santa Ana winds picked up across Southern California on Friday.
The Springs Fire was reported around 11 a.m. on Gilman Springs Road in Moreno Valley, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department. As the fire grew, it threatened homes in the Moreno Valley Ranch neighborhood.
Meanwhile, in northern Los Angeles County, crews were battling another, smaller brush fire in the Acton area, dubbed the Crown Fire.
Both fires triggered evacuation orders and warnings, all of which were lifted by Saturday evening, when both fires reached 95% containment.
A brush fire burning near Acton in Los Angeles County has grown to 280 acres, according to Cal Fire.
When the fire was first reported around 12:30 p.m., the Crown Fire was at 80 acres.
About an hour later, the blaze grew 200 acres.
Evacuation orders are in place for this zone: LAC-E087
Evacuation warnings are in place for these zones: LAC-E086 and LAC-E089.
As the Springs Fire continues to spread, the firefighters on the front lines of the blaze are facing a challenging firefight due to the steep topography of the region as well as windy conditions, said Terra Fernandez, a public information specialist with the Riverside County Fire Department.
"The wind can make the fire very unpredictable. However, we have many resources on scene as well as aircraft attacking this fire from all angles," said Fernandez.
Fernandez said hand crews are cutting lines all around the fire, plus air crews continue to drop retardant for structure protection.
She said ground crews are facing rocky terrain and shifting winds, but they are doing everything they can to gain containment on the fire as quickly as possible.
Rob McMillan is reporting from the scene of the Springs Fire near Moreno Valley, where powerful winds are fueling the flames.
As the Springs Fire grows to 1,000 acres, Cal Fire has expanded evacuations in the area.
Evacuation orders are in place for the following zones: MOE-0747, MOE-0507, MOE-0745, RVC-0826, RVC-0748, RVC-0825
Evacuation warnings are in place for the following zones: MOE-0746, MOE-0638, MOE0637, MOE-0640, MOE-0506, MOE-0744, MOE-0504, MOE-0505, MOE-0641, MOE-0639.
Get the latest evacuation information here.
Road closures are in place for Gilman Springs Road/Alessandro Blvd., Alessandro Road/Redlands Boulevard, Bridge Road / Gilman Springs Road, Ramona Expressway/Davis Road.
