A brush fire that broke out Wednesday northeast of Anza scorched roughly 12 acres, moving in the direction of the San Bernardino National Forest, before Cal Fire aircraft slowed it down.
The non-injury blaze was reported at 3:25 p.m. in the area of Bautista Canyon and Glasgow roads, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said that multiple engine and hand crews were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate across open space to the east, along the foot of the national forest.
Four Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters initiated runs on the brusher 20 minutes after it started, trying to wedge the head of the fire between dirt roads. As of 4:10 p.m., the drops had significantly reduced the burn rate.
A mandatory evacuation order was issued for the few scattered properties in the immediate vicinity of the fire.
Officials at the scene said that a vacant structure, possibly an outbuilding, was damaged.
There was no immediate word regarding how the brusher may have started. The area encompassing Anza and Aguanga, abutting the Cahuilla Indian Reservation, has been the point of origin for a cluster of minor and major fires over the last few years.