A rapidly spreading wildfire fueled by strong winds in Southern California triggered evacuation orders and warnings Friday as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

The Springs Fire ignited around 11 a.m. and expanded to roughly 5.47 square miles (14.17 square kilometers) by evening, with crews beginning to make progress in containing it. Authorities said the cause of the fire, burning east of Moreno Valley in Riverside County, remains under investigation. The number of homes affected by evacuation orders or warnings was not immediately known.

The blaze erupted in a populated, though not densely settled, unincorporated area near Moreno Valley, a city of about 200,000 people located roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of Riverside and 64 miles (103 kilometers) 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.

Alex Izaguirre, a spokesperson for Cal Fire Riverside County, said gusty conditions were spreading smoke across the region, prompting concern among residents in nearby communities who could see and smell it.

The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for the valleys of San Bernardino and Riverside counties through Saturday afternoon, warning of gusts reaching up to 50 mph (80 kph).

“Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the advisory said.