A man trying to cut up a water heater tank with an acetylene torch in Morongo Valley yesterday afternoon sparked a fire that brought out firefighters from four different fire agencies. Captain Chris Nichols of the Morongo Valley Fire Department said the fire in the 50600 block of 29 Palms Highway, near Big Morongo Canyon Road, was called in at 2:17 and Morongo Valley Fire was first on the scene at 2:23, followed shortly afterwards by CalFire, Yucca Valley, and Joshua Tree National Park firefighters. The man tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire using a 5-gallon bucket. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had spread to two abandoned vehicles, a pile of lumber, a metal shed, and some vegetation. Captain Nichols said this fire is a reminder to residents to ensure there isn’t flammable material around when using cutting torches or saws. “This fire had the potential to be very significant and burn down houses and do some major damage,” he said.
