A transient is suspected of igniting two fires Tuesday underneath a bridge connecting Jurupa Valley and Riverside, but crews quickly knocked down both blazes and requested assistance from law enforcement to detain the man.
The first spot fire was reported at 10:15 a.m. beneath the Mission Inn Avenue bridge at the Santa Ana River bottom in Jurupa Valley, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
Several engine crews were sent to the location and found a pile of wood and debris in flames, prompting them to deploy a hose to extinguish the fire.
A battalion chief at the scene said that while firefighters were knocking down the blaze, the same transient suspected of igniting it walked a few yards away and started a second wood and debris fire in plain view.
Firefighters quickly suppressed the second fire and requested help from arson investigators and sheriff’s deputies, according to reports from the scene.
The suspect lingered in the area briefly but fled after the second fire was under control, officials said.
He was described as about 6 feet 2 inches tall, thin, wearing a brown long-sleeved shirt and dark pants.
As of 10:40 a.m., deputies were still looking for him.
The river bottom is replete with homeless encampments and lean-tos occupied by transients. Warming fires in the winter are commonplace and can lead to large-scale wildfires amid dry conditions.