A possible arson fire that erupted Wednesday near the Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley scorched roughly a half-acre before crews got it under control.
The non-injury blaze was reported about 1:20 p.m. in the area of Nason Street and Cactus Avenue, just east of the hospital campus, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said that the flames started in grass within an open field and spread quickly because of moderate winds.
No homes or other structures were threatened.
Multiple engine crews converged on the location within five minutes and deployed around the fire, stopping its forward rate of spread at 1:30 p.m., according to officials at the scene.
The fire was fully contained at 1:50 p.m.
Firefighters identified a person at the scene behaving suspiciously and requested assistance from sheriff’s deputies and Cal Fire arson investigators.
It was not immediately known whether evidence of arson was seized from the man, whose identity was not released, or at the site of the fire.