The Springs Fire sparked around 11 a.m. and wasted little time spreading across the dry landscape. It was fanned by powerful winds that forecasters warned could gust up to 50 mph through Saturday afternoon.
By 4:14 p.m., the blaze had charred 3,500 acres and was just 5 percent contained, according to Cal Fire incident updates. The cause remains under investigation.
The fire is burning in a recreational area near Moreno Valley, a city of roughly 200,000 residents located about 10 miles southeast of Riverside and 64 miles east of Los Angeles. While the surrounding terrain is populated, it is not densely developed, falling within an unincorporated portion of the county.
Strong winds have been a defining factor in how aggressively the fire has moved. "It's windy out there," said Maggie Cline De La Rosa, a public information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in Riverside County.
Cal Fire Riverside County spokesperson Alex Izaguirre noted that the wind is "spreading the smoke," prompting a flood of worried calls from residents in nearby cities who detected it visually and by smell.
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for the San Bernardino and Riverside County valleys that extends through Saturday afternoon. "Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result," the advisory read.
Mandatory evacuation orders—carrying an immediate threat to life and a lawful directive to leave at once—were issued for nine zones: MOE-0507, MOE-0641, MOE-0744, MOE-0745, MOE-0746, MOE-0747, RVC-0748, RVC-0825, and RVC-0826. Evacuation warnings, indicating a potential threat to life and property, were extended to 11 additional zones: MOE-0504, MOE-0505, MOE-0506, MOE-0633, MOE-0637, MOE-0638, MOE-0639, MOE-0640, MOE-0743, MOE-0822, and MOE-0823.
Residents displaced by the fire can seek shelter at Valley View High School, located at 13135 Nason St. in Moreno Valley. Two animal evacuation shelters have also been established—the San Jacinto Animal Shelter at 581 S. Grand Ave. in San Jacinto, and Moreno Valley Animal Services at 14041 Elsworth St. in Moreno Valley.
Firefighting resources have been scaled up significantly as the fire continues to grow. As of Friday afternoon, 260 personnel, 36 engines, seven hand crews, two helicopters, two dozers, and two water tenders were assigned to the fire, along with numerous air tankers suppressing the fire as conditions allow. Earlier in the afternoon, the total assigned personnel stood at 105, according to Cal Fire, which has since doubled as the fire intensified throughout the day.