Palm Springs Gazette: An air assault on a 650-acre wildfire burning in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs will continue today as firefighters try to contain the blaze that has burned since Tuesday, fire officials said.  The fire is now 5 percent contained, and a full containment is expected by May 7th, fire officials told The Desert Sun around 7:20 a.m. 
Gusting winds that reached 40 mph Wednesday are predicted to be less aggressive today.  Two hand crews remained at the scene last night, officials said.  No communities are threatened and no evacuations are scheduled as a result of what's being called the Apache wildfire, officials reported.  The nearest houses are about 2 miles away in Palm Springs.  Two helitankers, two helicopters and an airtanker, grounded most of the day Wednesday by high winds, are expected to douse the Apache wildfire with water (some taken from geomembrane lined lakes) and retardant.  "If we can use air support, we'll be in good shape," U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Kate Kramer said. "The winds have died down. Our weather outlook looks better (for today)."  As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, firefighters had zero containment on the blaze, which was first reported about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.  Winds that gusted up to 40 mph on Wednesday, causing problems for air crews, are expected to drop to less than 10 mph today, National Weather Service meteorologist Ted MacKechnie said.  The wind also wrecked havoc across the Coachella Valley on Wednesday, pushing over a truck and prompting the closing of Gene Autry Trail because of blowing sand.  It remained closed as of 10 p.m.

The fire - fueled by downed logs and timber - is burning east along a patch of forest that grows onto Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians land, Kramer said.  Two hand crews, with about 35 firefighters, were expected to monitor the blaze through the night, sleeping on a ridge not far from the fire.  A cause has yet to be determined.  Firefighters on Tuesday hiked 3½ miles along the Pacific Crest Trail to reach the blaze.  About 170 firefighters were fighting the blaze Wednesday with more expected today.  It took several hours for crews to hike about 10 miles from Fobes Ranch Trail near Garner Valley to get to the fire while carrying 40-pound backpacks.  Mark Spehar, a firefighter based at the Mountain Center Cal Fire station, said a thick wall of fog prevented them from seeing the blaze most of Wednesday.  Fires "often look closer than they really are, especially at night," Forest Service information officer Robin Prince added.

The blaze could be seen across the Coachella Valley and sent clouds of smoke and ash over Palm Springs.  Erosion control efforts will start immediately after the fire is contained.