Authorities had warned that strong winds from the remnants of Tropical Storm Kay could fan flames from the Fairview Fire, which as of Friday had consumed about 27,000 acres in Riverside County, east Los Angeles, and was only 5% contained. Heavy rains from the storm, meanwhile, raised the possibility of flash flooding and mudslides.
But steady rain helped firefighters make significant progress overnight, according to Rob Roseer, a spokesman for Cal Fire, the state firefighting agency. As of 10:50 a.m. (1750 GMT), the fire was 40 percent contained and no flash flooding or debris flow was reported, Rob Roseer said.
“Fortunately, the rain from Tropical Storm Kay arrived earlier than expected and brought great relief to firefighters,” he added.
Thousands of residents have been ordered to leave their homes, although some people living west and northwest of the blaze have been allowed to return since Friday, Roseer said. Two people died from the fire.
The Mosquito Fire east of the state capital, Sacramento, however, continued to spread overnight. By Saturday morning, the blaze had burned more than 33,000 acres and was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire.
High temperatures in Southern California are expected to stay below 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit), according to forecasters, after days of blistering heat across much of the state. Temperatures hit a record 101 degrees at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
Officials had considered implementing power cuts earlier this week when demand for electricity hit an all-time high.