Firefighters say Riverside brush fire that nearly burned homes was started by illegal fireworks
Firefighters say that a fire that nearly spread to homes in Riverside over the weekend was started by illegal fireworks.
They were dispatched to the area near Tyler Street and Jurupa Avenue at around 9 p.m. on Sunday after learning of a blaze that was burning near a row of homes overlooking the Santa Ana River bottom, according to the Riverside Fire Department.
Three engine crews with nearly a dozen crew members were dispatched to the area and found the fire burning behind the homes.
They were able to make quick work of the fire, reaching containment within 30 minutes and limiting the spread to a quarter acre before they could reach the residences, firefighters said.
Arson investigators were called to the scene and quickly determined that the fire was caused by the use of fireworks, according to RFD.
As of Monday evening, no suspects have been arrested and the investigation remains ongoing.
Related: Riverside County begins annual crackdown on illegal fireworks
Several fires over the last year are suspected to have ignited brush fires in Riverside, including the Hawarden Fire that torched 600-acres and destroyed multiple homes in July of 2024, and the Mandalay Fire, which burned more than 80 acres in the same river bottom in late June.
Anyone who knows more is asked to contact investigators at (951) 826-5321.
