Firefighters have slowed the advance of the fire threatening Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree National Park at 250 acres. As of this morning, the fire, named the Elk Fire, was 30% contained. The heavy smoke that covered Yucca Valley yesterday evening subsided over night.
The vegetation fire started at about 12:20 p.m. in an inaccessible area on the border of Joshua Tree National Park and the extreme south end of the Yucca Valley near Eagles Nest and Amador. High winds blew the fire rapidly north and east.
More than 150 firefighters were deployed yesterday as part of a collaborative effort between San Bernardino County Fire and the National Park Service. Today, they will continue to work on containment, hot spots, and mop-up operations.
County Fire Battalion Chief Mike McClintock says the fire proved to be a challenge due to its location in an inaccessible area. Firefighters had a difficult time getting “boots on the ground.”
There were no injuries related to the fire, and no damage to any homes. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
