HOMELAND - A brush fire threatened several homes today in Homeland before firefighters, using tanker planes and a water-dropping helicopter, stopped the blaze at one-half acre, according to Cal Fire.

The two retardant-dropping tanker planes were returning to their Hemet-Ryan base from an earlier brush fire outside Home Gardens between Corona and Riverside, said Cal Fire-Riverside County spokeswoman Jody Hagemann.

The Homeland fire was reported at 2:10 p.m. at the end of Amanda Avenue north of Advertisement
state Route 74, Hagemann said.

The first firefighters at the scene found the blaze spreading rapidly and the tankers arrived moments later, according to Hagemann. More than 60 firefighters responded, along with a spotter plane and one water-dropping helicopter.

Ground crews were expected to stay on scene until the fire was completely extinguished.

The earlier fire in Home Gardens burned less than five acres and never threatened any homes, Hagemann said.

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