Springs Fire near Moreno Valley reaches 95% containment as evacuations lift and Moreno Valley College reopens
Moreno Valley CA – The Springs Fire east of the city is 95% contained, evacuation orders are lifted, and Moreno Valley College resumed classes April 6.
The immediate emergency phase of the Springs Fire has ended for Moreno Valley residents, but the incident is not yet fully closed out.
CAL FIRE said all evacuation orders and warnings tied to the fire were lifted at 6:01 p.m. on Friday, April 4. The agency was still listing the fire at 95% containment in its latest updates, with no new activity reported on Monday, April 6.
For residents who had to leave, that means the return-home order is in place. It also means crews were still monitoring and patrolling the perimeter after evacuations ended, so the story has shifted from active flight to cleanup, caution, and waiting for a final containment update.
How fast the fire grew
The Springs Fire started at 11:01 a.m. on Thursday, April 3, on Gilman Springs Road east of Moreno Valley, according to CAL FIRE. By 11:47 a.m., firefighters were on scene with the fire at about 50 acres in light fuels. By early evening, CAL FIRE had mapped it at 4,176 acres.
That rapid growth is the main reason the fire became a Moreno Valley story so quickly. CAL FIRE issued evacuation orders and warnings for multiple Moreno Valley-prefixed zones as well as nearby Riverside County zones. A shelter opened at Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, and an animal shelter opened in San Jacinto.
CAL FIRE later reported that several zones were cleared the same night, then lifted all remaining orders and warnings on April 4. The fire was still officially active, but the forward rate of spread had stopped.
What changed for residents and students
The most practical local update after the evacuations lifted was at Moreno Valley College. The college posted an all-clear notice saying it was no longer in the evacuation area and that classes and events would resume on Sunday, April 6.
That matters beyond the campus itself. When a local college resumes normal operations, it affects students, staff, families, transit routines, work schedules, and nearby businesses that depend on weekday foot traffic.
Early local reporting from KESQ captured how quickly the disruption escalated on April 3, including the fast acreage growth, the shelter opening in Moreno Valley, and temporary travel impacts near Gilman Springs Road. KESQ also reported that no injuries were immediately reported at that stage.
Damage information has changed since those earliest reports. The latest CAL FIRE incident page lists one structure destroyed. The cause remains under investigation.
Why the fire moved so quickly
The National Weather Service had a wind advisory in effect through April 4 for the Moreno Valley area and Inland Empire valleys during the fire window. That official weather context helps explain how a vegetation fire east of the city was able to spread so quickly in a matter of hours and why smoke and visibility were practical concerns for nearby neighborhoods.
What to watch next
The remaining questions are narrower now but still important. Residents should watch for a final move from 95% to full containment, any updated damage assessment, and any official findings on cause.
For now, the bottom line is straightforward: the evacuation phase is over, Moreno Valley College has resumed normal operations, and the fire east of the city has shown no new activity since April 6, but CAL FIRE has not yet declared it fully contained.
