RivCo Blaze In River Bottom Burns About 6 Acres: Cal Fire

JURUPA VALLEY, CA — A brush fire that erupted Thursday in the Santa Ana River bottom between Jurupa Valley and Riverside consumed about six acres before it was stopped.

The non-injury blaze was reported at 1:05 p.m. Thursday in the area of General Road and Clay Street, along the north shore of the dry river bed, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

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The agency said multiple engine crews from the county and Riverside Fire Department were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a slow rate through heavy vegetation.

A spot fire less than a quarter acre in size broke out in the immediate vicinity of the main brusher, but that smaller blaze was quickly knocked down.

Two Cal Fire air tankers were sent to the location to make drops, but they were soon cancelled as firefighters established hose lays more than halfway around the brusher around 1:45 p.m., according to reports from the scene.

Full containment was anticipated by late afternoon.

The cause of the blaze was under investigation. The river bottom is replete with homeless encampments, and cooking, debris and warming fires are common year-round.