RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A brush fire that erupted Tuesday afternoon on a hillside in Mead Valley has scorched 115 acres, according to Cal Fire's state incident information.
The non-injury blaze, dubbed the Rider Fire, was reported at 1:30 p.m. in the area of Rider Street and Seaton Avenue, less than a mile west of Interstate 215, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.
As of 3 p.m., freeway traffic was slow through the area.
Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department reported that 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.
As of 3 p.m., there was no containment. Crews were hiking across rugged terrain to reach the head of the blaze.
Although the flames were not immediately threatening properties, officials at the scene declared evacuation orders for scattered homes and businesses in the area of Placentia Avenue and Tobacco Road and Orange and Harvill avenues. Warnings were in effect for nearby locations.
Sheriff's deputies shut down westbound Rider from Harville, along with westbound Orange from Harvill, for public safety. See updated road closures here.
A previous brusher occurred in the same general area last month and was contained within an hour.
The cause of the current fire wasn't immediately known.
—City News Service contributed to this report.
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