A roughly 20-acre brush fire that broke out along the Santa Ana River bottom and briefly threatened homes in Riverside was 60% contained Friday and may require crews to work into the weekend to knock down hot spots.
The non-injury blaze was reported at 4:50 p.m. Thursday in the area of Mission Inn Avenue and Crestmore Road, according to the Riverside Fire Department.
Multiple engine and hand crews from the city, Riverside County, Murrieta Fire & Rescue and the Ontario and Redlands fire departments converged on the brusher and encountered flames moving briskly east in thick vegetation.
A Cal Fire water-dropping helicopter was called in to make runs on the blaze, preventing it from reaching homes on Dexter Drive and several connecting streets.
No properties were evacuated, and the fire’s forward rate of spread was halted about 9 p.m.
“The fire is … 60% contained within the burn area, and 90% of the perimeter is secure,” according to an RFD statement. “Crews will be working throughout the night and over the next several days to fully extinguish the fire due to difficult access and dense overgrown vegetation.”
The river bottom is dotted with dozens of homeless encampments, and camping and warming fires have triggered numerous brushers in the past.
The cause of Thursday’s blaze remains under investigation.