Firefighters were expected to remain for several days at the scene of a smoky 17-acre fire started by a car in mulch.
The fire threatened homes in the La Sierra Acres neighborhood in Riverside, and firefighters are making sure there are no flare-ups. The blaze was reported at 11:28 a.m. near Jurupa Avenue and Tyler Street, according to the Riverside Fire Department. Ninety firefighters, two helicopters, two air tankers and three bulldozers were deployed to the fire while residents on the north side of Valley Drive between Mitchell and Chadbourne avenues were evacuated.
Two horses were also evacuated by the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
“Structures were threatened but no reported damage,'' the fire department tweeted at 2:56 p.m.