Morongo Basin firefighters were called out to two fires Wednesday night caused by lightning. About 11:45 p.m., Twentynine Palms firefighters went to the 74300 block of Pinon in Twentynine Palms for a palm tree that was on fire in the yard. Firefighters had the fire out in about 10 minutes. A Joshua tree fire in Joshua Tree was much more difficult to put out though. County Fire Battalion Chief Scott Tuttle said firefighters were called about midnight to an area off the 8900 block of Willow. Calfire, who assisted Joshua Tree firefighters, hiked about a quarter-mile into the desert to get to the tree on fire. Tuttle said they were out there about three hours trying to put it out. The storm Wednesday night caused lots of flooding on the roads, but Tuttle said firefighters were not called out for any rescues.
