The largest wildfire in California this year is no longer growing, fire officials said Saturday.
The Riverside County Springs fire, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds up to 50 mph on Friday, did not grow overnight, with firefighters battling the blaze on the ground and aircraft dropping water from above, according to Terra Fernandez, a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Riverside.
“We have a pretty good hold on it,” said Fernandez.
The fire calmed down overnight due to calming winds and increased humidity, which slowed growth. Firefighter hand crews were on the ground cutting fire lines to help contain the blaze.
As of Saturday night , the 4,176-acre fire was 95% contained, according to Cal Fire. No people have been injured and no structures have burned, Fernandez said.
All evacuations orders and warnings have since been lifted, according to Cal Fire.
Fire officials said crews planned to work through the night and into Sunday to monitor and patrol the fire perimeter.
In Los Angeles County, the Crown fire, which has burned 385 acres southwest of Acton and also broke out Friday, was 95% contained as of Saturday night.
L.A. County fire officials said crews would continue to work through the night.
The Springs fire was first reported about 11 a.m. Friday near the 15900 block of Gilman Springs Road, fire officials said. It was driven by strong easterly Santa Ana winds of 30 to 40 mph.
The fire forced evacuations and closures, with Moreno Valley College announcing it would be closed Friday and Saturday.
Bridgett Hollier, who lives on Andalusian Court in Moreno Valley, said she could feel the heat from the fire and see the flames licking at the mountains from her house, though she was not under an evacuation order.
But firefighters worked quickly to keep hers and her neighbors’ properties safe, she said.
“It was very stressful because it came right behind my house,” she said. “The little area beyond the walking trail right behind my house was on fire.”
