It’s been just over a week since the Eureka Fire ignited in Joshua Tree National Park. Last Friday at around noon a column of smoke could be seen coming from behind the ridge that defines the northern border to the National Park. The fire was initially reported to be around 20 acres but quickly grew to over 200 acres, where it has remained as containment continues to tick up. As of Friday it was at 85%, and the National Park says that all outside crews were released earlier in the week. The Black Rock Interagency Fire Crew – which is made up of National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management firefighters – is currently managing operations.
A representative from Joshua Tree National Park says it appears that the fire started adjacent to Lower Covington Flats Road in the Covington Flats area of the park. The area is known for containing some of the oldest trees in the park, including Western Joshua Trees. The area is also of interest to many locals for a development on private inholdings in the Covington Flats area, named Whispering Pines. There is currently a single prefabricated home on the private inholding. When asked about the proximity of the fire to the Whispering Pines development, Joshua Tree National Park says that the fire is still under investigation, and that no structures have been harmed in the fire.
While containment is still at 85%, firefighting operations have mostly turned to mop-up operations, making sure that there aren’t hidden hotspots that could reignite.
Joshua Tree National Park says they are evaluating the impact of the fire onthe Joshua trees, wildlife, and other resources in the area. They have assigned resource advisors to work alongside the fire crews while they finish containment and begin to prep for restoration efforts.
Always check the Joshua Tree National Park’s website for alerts and closures, or you can download the NPS app.
The temporary closures within the affected areas of the park are now open:
- Lower Covington Flats Road and La Contenta within the Park boundary.
- Backcountry camping in the zones covering Black Rock, Covington, Quail Wash, and Juniper.
- California Riding and Hiking Trail starting in Black Rock
- Creosote/Bigfoot Trail starting off Park Blvd in the park.
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