A firefighter looks for hot spots at a burned down home following the Hawarden fire in the Alessandro Heights area of Riverside on Monday, July 22, 2024. The fire has burned over 500 acres and damaged or destroyed a number of homes. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Riverside police and arson investigators continued to work Tuesday to identify those responsible for lighting the fireworks that led to the Hawarden fire, authorities said.

Roughly $10 million in damage has been reported so far for the 527-acre brush fire in Riverside that destroyed at least six homes and damaged seven others, Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said Monday evening, July 22.

She also said Monday that fireworks, set off illegally by unidentified suspects, did indeed cause the Hawarden fire. Officials said earlier in the day that that might be the cause.

The count of destroyed and damaged homes climbed as officials tallied the damage.

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The blaze began Sunday near Alessandro Heights and quickly spread through the area, threatening 1,500 homes and forcing many residents to temporarily evacuate.

Arson investigators determined the cause of the fire stemmed from the illegal use of fireworks: Video footage captured suspects fleeing the area and investigators have identified a “vehicle of interest,” Dawson said.

“This tragic events serves as a stark reminder of why fireworks are illegal in our community,” Dawson said during a press conference. “We live in an area with dry brush, varied terrain and high temperatures, making it ideal for such disasters.”

The fire was 40 percent contained as of 7 p.m. Monday. Police remained in the area while firefighters worked to put out hot spots Tuesday.

Riverside police declined Tuesday to provide a description of the vehicle or where it was spotted as it left the area.

“We’re following up on leads,” said Officer Ryan Railsback, a police spokesman.

Where, exactly, the fireworks were lit, and what type were lit, was not known, but Railsback said it was believed to be closer to Hawarden Hills than Alessandro Heights.