A brush fire broke out Tuesday northwest of the Cahuilla Indian Reservation in Sage, scorching three acres before Cal Fire aircraft slowed it down.
The non-injury blaze was reported shortly after 11 a.m. in the area of Donnell Drive and Thomas Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said three Cal Fire air tankers and a water-dropping helicopter were the first to reach the location and encountered flames moving at a slow rate through medium vegetation to the east.
The air resources immediately went to work making runs on the brusher, which was in the vicinity of three to five homes, according to reports from the scene.
The air drops blunted the fire’s progress, as ground crews deployed around it.
As of 11:55 a.m., firefighters were making progress encircling the blaze, though the forward rate of spread had not been stopped.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.