Three firefighters from Joshua Tree spent most of Saturday helping out at the Willow Fire, just east of Needles on the Arizona side of the Colorado River. The fire was first reported at 10:30 a.m. burning scrub and vegetation alongside the river Saturday. County Fire Captain Donnie Valoria said Station 36 received the request for mutual aid about lunchtime Saturday. The fire, which is almost 6,800 acres this morning, has damaged 11 buildings, and caused the evacuation of 1,000 people. The three firefighters returned to Joshua Tree about 2 a.m. Sunday morning. In related news, the firefighters from the Morongo Valley Fire Department who were sent to the Rocky Fire, are slated to return to Morongo Valley tomorrow.
