LIGHTNING SPARKS FIRES IN JOSHUA TREE

Morongo Basin firefighters were called to several fires Tuesday afternoon as thunderstorms moved through the area. Just before 1 p.m. crews received reports of a lightning-sparked fire at Quail Springs Road and Onaga Trail in Joshua Tree, and a few minutes later, a second—and much larger—fire in the Sunfair Dry Lake bed, just east of Cascade Avenue in Joshua Tree. The Cascade fire quickly grew to about 150 acres in an hour, but firefighters appeared to be getting a handle on it and called off the air tankers. The forward progress of the fire was stopped about 245 p.m. Crews are expected to remain on scene for several hours to make sure the fire is out. County firefighters and BLM firefighters, along with hand crews, water tenders, and BLM firefighters worked to contain the fire.