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A rapidly spreading brush fire, known as the Springs Fire, has scorched over 4,000 acres in Moreno Valley, California, prompting evacuation orders for several zones. As of Saturday morning (April 4), the fire is 45% contained, according to Cal Fire's incidents page.
The fire began on Friday morning (April 3) in the 15900 block of Gilman Springs Road and quickly expanded from an initial estimate of 5 acres to over 4,176 acres by the afternoon. The blaze is moving towards Lake Perris, with the potential to burn up to 5,000 acres, as reported by the Riverside County Fire Department.
Evacuation orders are in effect for multiple zones, including MOE-0507, MOE-0641, and RVC-0825. An evacuation shelter has been set up at Valley View High School in Moreno Valley. Additionally, the campus of Moreno Valley College has been evacuated, and Gilman Springs Road is closed between Alessandro Boulevard and Bridge Street.
Firefighters are battling the blaze with the help of two air tankers and approximately 30 engines. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and no injuries have been reported. The fire has created drift smoke visible in nearby cities such as Riverside and Menifee.
With temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s and gusts up to 25 mph, conditions remain challenging. Meanwhile, another fire, the Crown Fire, is burning in Los Angeles County, but it is reported to be 20% contained.