A brush fire that broke out Wednesday just west of Temecula scorched roughly 12 acres before it was stopped.
The non-injury blaze was reported at 11:50 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Via Tornado and Via Santa Rosa, in the unincorporated community of De Luz, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said multiple engine and hand crews from the county, Corona Fire Department and other agencies were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate through medium brush.
An evacuation warning was issued for scattered properties in the lightly populated location, which is zoned rural-agricultural.
Five Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters initiated runs on the brusher by 12:20 p.m., blunting its advance. By 1:10 p.m., the fire’s forward rate of spread had been stopped, and all air tankers had departed, according to reports from the scene. The choppers remained available for targeted drops directed by ground personnel.
Full containment was expected by late Wednesday afternoon.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.