A brush fire that erupted Thursday in Mead Valley scorched roughly five acres before it was stopped.
The non-injury blaze was reported at 1:35 p.m. Thursday in the area of Mack and Riders streets, just south of Cajalco Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency stated that multiple engine and hand crews were sent to the location and encountered flames burning at a moderate rate through open terrain.
Because of limited access via dirt roads, firefighters were unable to quickly reach the brusher, leaving two Cal Fire air tankers and a water-dropping helicopter to handle operations for about 20 minutes. After a series of runs by the planes and chopper, the flames slowed down significantly, according to reports from the scene.
The fire’s forward rate of spread was halted at 2:10 p.m.
No homes or other structures were threatened.
Crews were working to encircle the blaze, using surrounding dirt roads as natural fire breaks. Full containment was expected by 4 p.m.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.