A three-alarm fire that erupted Tuesday along the perimeter of Box Springs Mountain Reserve on the east end of Riverside scorched roughly five acres as crews deployed to the location.
The non-injury brush fire was reported at 12:20 p.m. in the area of Watkins Drive and Spruce Street, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said multiple engine crews from the county and Riverside Fire Department were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate through light brush, not immediately threatening structures in the mostly industrial area.
Witnesses reported seeing a transient walking away from where the blaze started, and Riverside Police Department officers were searching for that party, according to reports from the scene. No description was available.
The fire started within city limits, but Box Springs Mountain Reserve is part of the state responsibility area, or SRA, under Cal Fire’s jurisdiction.
As of 1 p.m., crews were fanning out, attempting to establish hose lays, though there were no reports on containment.
A Cal Fire water-dropping helicopter was summoned to make runs on the brusher.