MEAD VALLEY, CA — A second brush fire broke out Thursday afternoon charring about five acres on a hillside in Mead Valley, about a quarter-mile from where another blaze erupted hours earlier.
The fire was reported just before 3:30 p.m. near Tyler and Decker roads, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.
Multiple fire crews deployed to the location where the fire was moving at a slow rate of spread, officials said.
Three Cal Fire air tankers and a water-dropping helicopter initiated drops on the brusher within 20 minutes of the first report, redirecting the fire's path but not halting its advance, according to reports from the scene.
Officials said the blaze could expand to 100 acres if not slowed down within a short period.
By 5 p.m., the brush fire had burned nearly seven acres of vegetation.
No homes or structures were immediately threatened.
Earlier in the afternoon, an acre-wide fire erupted just to the northwest at Clark Street and Cajalco Road. However, it was contained in less than an hour.
Sheriff's deputies were called to both fires to enforce street closures, but it was unclear whether they were looking for any potential arson suspects.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Lake Elsinore, CA Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.