Canyon Fire Update: Smoke Advisories, School Closures & Evacuations Lifted, Thursday

ANAHEIM, CA — Firefighters have held the Canyon Fire to 2,000 acres, and containment has raised to 45-percent as of Thursday morning. Crews fought the blaze for a fourth day, and are expecting full containment this weekend. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Anaheim Fire.

"We are looking at all angles, and it will take time for the investigation to wrap up," an Anaheim Fire spokesperson said.

Evacuation orders were lifted Wednesday for hundreds of homes in the Corona area that were initially threatened by the large blaze. About 1,500 residents from 500 homes near the Riverside (91) Freeway were initially affected. The Corona Norco Unified School District cancelled classes at seven schools Wednesday due to evacuations, road closures and poor air quality. The schools will be open Thursday, officials said.

As residents returned home, they thanked the firefighters for saving their homes and property. Firefighters from Santa Fe Springs Fire Rescue shared with Patch about their experience on Thursday.

"Residents have brought us oranges and cookies, they've been so kind," one firefighter said. "The defensive space is huge. It helps us to help you."

An informational graphic provided by the Anaheim Fire and Rescue showed the numbers involved with battling the Canyon Fire.

Authorities expect full containment of the fire on the Orange-Riverside county border by Sunday.

The fire broke out about 1 p.m. Monday alongside the eastbound Riverside Freeway, just west of Green River Road in west Corona, and initially spread at a "moderate" rate to Coal Canyon Road off the freeway, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.

The fire began spreading at a "rapid rate" around 3 p.m. Monday, fanned by Santa Ana winds blowing at 20 to 25 mph. By Monday night, it had charred about 2,000 acres and had damaged a single-family home and a big rig.

The blaze was being fought by about 1,900 firefighters from the Anaheim, Corona and Los Angeles County fire departments, the OCFA, U.S. Forest Service and Cal Fire. Twelve helicopters and five air tankers were assigned to the firefight, Concialdi said. At the height of the fire earlier this week, a DC-10 air tanker was deployed.

Fire crews confirmed that one house and two other structures were damaged by the flames.

A side effect of the fire, the Irvine Regional Park remains closed...

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Worth another look:

• Canyon Fire: 2,000+ Acres; Photos, Map, Evacuations, Closures
• Canyon Fire: Evacuation Orders Lifted; Crews Still At Work On Blaze

Orange County Fire Authority photos