Thousands of Californians evacuated as Santa Ana winds fuel two fast-spreading wildfires

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 02:39, 4 April 2026 | Updated: 02:39, 4 April 2026 Nearly 13,000 people are under evacuation orders after a pair of smoky and fast-growing wildfires spread through windy Southern California Friday. The Springs Fire broke out at around 11am Friday and by 3:30pm had nearly tripled in size to 4.45 square miles, while at the same time, the Crown Fire burned 280 acres close to Acton near North Crown Valley and Soledad Canyon roads. The cause of the fire east of Moreno Valley in Riverside County is under investigation.  It was not immediately known how many households are under evacuation warnings or orders. The Springs Fire was burning in a populated — but not densely so — unincorporated part of Riverside County, in a recreational area near the city of Moreno Valley, which has a population of roughly 200,000.  With Santa Ana wind gusts of over 50 mph, the fire is spreading through an area with highly flammable fuel, The LA Times reported.   The city is 10 miles southeast of Riverside and 64 miles east of Los Angeles. '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. Nearly 13,000 people are under evacuation orders after a pair of smoky and fast-growing wildfires spread through windy Southern California Friday The Springs Fire broke out at around 11am Friday and by 3:30pm had nearly tripled in size to 4.45 square miles, while at the same time, the Crown Fire burned 280 acres near Acton near North Crown Valley and Soledad Canyon roads The Springs Fire was burning in a populated — but not densely so — unincorporated part of Riverside County, in a recreational area near the city of Moreno Valley, which has a population of roughly 200,000 Cline De La Rosa told The Daily Mail that around 12,900 people were under evacuation orders, with another 9,850 under warnings.  Nearby Moreno Valley College was forced to close down its campus due to poor air quality and ordered students and faculty to evacuate.   As of Friday evening, the Springs Fire is only five percent contained, while the Crown Fire is at 25 percent.  Alex Izaguirre, a spokesperson for the Cal Fire Riverside County, said the wind from the Springs Fire is 'spreading the smoke,' prompting concerned calls from residents in neighboring cities who can see and smell the smoke. 'Wind - that's the biggest issue right now,' Izaguirre added.  Local fire departments have been fighting the blazes with two air tankers, 23 engines, two helicopters and multiple bulldozers.   The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for San Bernardino and Riverside County valleys through Saturday afternoon, with gusts of up to 50 mph  expected. 'Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,' the advisory read. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for San Bernardino and Riverside County valleys through Saturday afternoon, with gusts of up to 50 mph expected UC San Diego shows a smoke covered landscape as the Springs Fire advances near Moreno Valley A map showing the evacuation areas from the Springs Fire The Crown Fire was first reported within an hour of the Springs Fire at around 11:23am with 80 acres burning at a 'moderate rate of speed' according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.  That blaze is headed in the direction of structures, fire officials said, forcing multiple areas to evacuate.    Strong winds are likely to continue throughout the weekend, with gusts in Riverside County expected between 15 and 30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, until at least Saturday afternoon.   Even when winds slow down, National Weather Service San Diego meteorologist Kyle Wheeler said there will still be danger.  'It's going to be weaker winds, but with the flow still coming out of the east, we're not going to see an increase in relative humidity,' Wheeler said.  The landscape will also remain dry, with humidity predicted to stay between 10 and 15 percent.  In Los Angeles, wind gusts have been measured as high as 55 mph, exacerbating the Crown Fire.  The area is still recovering from the brutal wildfires at the start of 2025.  The 14 fires that broke out during that January killed at least 31 people, forced more than 200,000 to evacuate, destroyed more than 18,000 homes and structures, burning more than 57,529 acres. 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