A blaze that erupted in a homeless encampment near the Santa Ana River bottom in Jurupa Valley scorched less than a quarter-acre Wednesday before crews stopped it.
The non-injury fire was reported at about 3:10 p.m. in the area of Limonite Avenue and Marlatt Street, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said four engine crews were sent to the location and encountered flames in a confined space along the river bottom, moving slowly through medium vegetation.
Firefighters quickly encircled the blaze, halting its forward rate of spread within five minutes, according to officials at the scene.
Crews were expected to complete mopping up at the site by 4 p.m. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Fires in and around the river bottom between Jurupa Valley, Norco and Riverside are common year-round, often stemming from cooking, warming and debris fires in the numerous transient encampments that line the dry riverbed.