River Fire in Paso Robles now contained, all evacuations lifted
PASO ROBLES, Calif. - The River Fire burning in Paso Robles is now contained and the city lifted all evacuation orders at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
The fire burned 15 acres, destroyed two homes, and damaged nine others.
The fire broke out Monday evening in the Salinas Riverbed. The fire jumped across a roadway and spread into a residential neighborhood.
Fire crews from multiple agencies responded to assist the Paso Robles Fire Department.
After getting an upper hand Monday night, crews worked throughout Tuesday to keep the blaze from reigniting when winds were expected to pick up in the evening hours.
"They're mopping up a lot of the hotspots," said Paso Robles Fire Chief Jonathan Stornetta. "We do have some trees in the area that have been burned, so they're cutting those down, so they're not a hazard for the public."
Stornetta credited strong aerial assistance for helping keep the fire from becoming more destructive.
"We had a lot of air support," said Stornetta. "Four air tankers and a helicopter. It did come around the Capital Hill development up here. It came around the outside. That's where we see all the damage on the exterior, the structures, out buildings, and garages as well."
He added the situation could have been much worse if not for the quick actions of his department and the support it received from neighboring firefighting agencies.
"The fire was wind-driven and topography-driven," said Stornetta. "The winds were about 30 miles an hour with gusts and it did jump River Road, Creston Road and actually spotted all the way to Union Road. We were fortunate. The tankers did a great job slowing the fire down for our resources to get in there and put it out."
River Fire as seen from above 
Plumes of smoke fill the air in Paso Robles after a fire broke out in the Salinas Riverbed
While all evacuations orders are now lifted, there are still some road closures as crews work to restore utilities to some areas.
For the latest updates, visit the city's website.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Paso Robles Police Department at 805-237-6464.
