A brush fire that erupted Tuesday in the hills around Mead Valley scorched 140 acres before it was stopped.
The non-injury blaze was reported at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Rider Street and Seaton Avenue, less than a mile west of Interstate 215, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said multiple engine and hand crews from the county, Pechanga Tribal Fire Department and other agencies were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate through medium brush.
Four Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters initiated runs on the brusher shortly before 2 p.m., shutting off some of its burn potential across open ground.
Flames were concentrated in uninhabited space bounded by roads between an industrial area to the east and residential properties to the west and north.
The fire’s forward rate of spread was halted at 4:25 p.m., and by 5 p.m., it was 5% contained, according to fire Capt. John Clingingsmith.
All aircraft cleared the location just before 5 p.m.
Crews were expected to be in the fire zone well into the night, strengthening containment lines and mopping up hot spots.
Although the flames didn’t pose an immediate threat to properties, officials at the scene implemented precautionary evacuations for a few scattered homes and businesses in the area of Placentia Avenue and Tobacco Road and Orange and Harvill avenues.
Sheriff’s deputies shut down several streets for public safety.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.