Riverside Fire: California Brush Fire Rages; Blaze 30 Percent Contained

More than 200 acres of palm trees and brush has been destroyed so far from the fire, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The flames were aided by high winds that swept the area Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. The agency said winds were expected to reach gusts as high as 50 mph throughout the day.

The Riverside County fire started around 4:45 p.m. Thursday in an unincorporated part of the area, officials told the Times. Fire officials estimated that the fire was about 30 percent contained as of Friday morning.

Shortly after erupting, the fire, with flames shooting as high as 30 feet, spread near Rancho Jarupa Regional Park and Riverside Municipal Airport.

There have been no reports of any homes being damaged by the blaze, but the fire in on its way to spreading to houses.

Jennifer Heath of Riverside said she was concerned that her home might be destroyed from the fire, pointing out that flames momentarily reached her backyard.

“I’m scared to death,” Heath told NBC Los Angeles. “It’s like fire radiating from the sky, the whole backyard is on fire.”

Neighbor Randy Stagg said trees on her block caught fire as neighbors attempted to get the fire department’s attention.

We were yelling back and forth, shouting addresses, trying to get the fire department to come,” she told the Los Angeles NBC affiliate.

While Kyle Wright said his home was spared, he said his family’s trailer did not have a similar fate.

"All of a sudden, they were like 'your trailer is on fire,' and me and my step dad ran outside and I grabbed the hose and he came out and pretty much the whole half of the trailer was already on fire," he said.

As the fire raged, authorities imposed evacuation orders for residents of Greenbrier Drive and Grassy Trail in Riverside City, Calif., according to the Times. Those orders have since been lifted.