A brush fire that erupted Friday in the hills on the east end of Moreno Valley scorched 14 acres and approached several homes before crews fully contained it.
The blaze was reported about 10 a.m. in the area of Lantz Lane and Ironwood Avenue, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
According to the agency, multiple engine and hand crews from the county, Hemet Fire Department and Riverside Fire Department were sent to the location and encountered flames initially moving at a slow rate through medium brush, though winds picked up within a short period, pushing the fire faster in the direction of a few residences.
Two Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters made runs on the brusher, aiding crews in establishing tentative containment lines.
One firefighter suffered minor smoke inhalation injuries and was taken to Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley for treatment.
The fire’s forward rate of spread was stopped at 11:55 a.m., and it was declared 100% contained about 4 p.m.
Though they were not in imminent danger, a precautionary evacuation warning was issued that impacted scattered properties north of Ironwood, south of Locust Avenue, east of Trust Way and west of Moreno Beach Drive.
The warning was canceled two hours later.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.