A brush fire erupted Wednesday in the hills west of Murrieta, consuming three acres and briefly threatening a home.
The non-injury blaze was reported about 4:30 p.m. in the area of Avocado Mesa Road and Via Volcano, in the unincorporated community of De Luz, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Responding crews reported flames moving at a moderate rate through medium brush to the southwest.
Two Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters initiated runs on the brusher, preventing it from reaching a house in the path of the flames, according to officials at the scene.
The brusher was bounded by roads on two sides, limiting its burn potential.
As of 5 p.m., crews were making progress toward stopping the fire’s forward rate of spread.
Officials said a bulldozer was working on a hillside where the blaze started, but it was unclear whether the operator might have inadvertently caused the blaze while moving rocks.