This follow-up to a story we aired yesterday about a fire in Morongo Valley. Calfire is reporting that “the fire was caused by failure of electrical components used to steal power for an illegal marijuana grow operation.” Firefighters were called to a home in the 53400 block of 29 Palms Highway, just west of the High-Desert Rod and Gun Club, about 1 p.m. Tuesday for a vegetation fire that quickly spread to about 11 acres. Morongo Valley Fire Deputy Chief Jim Brakebill said the resident originally told him the fire started when the resident turned on a water pump, which caused the power lines to snap and sparked a blaze. Investigators later learned the power line snapped due to the illegal marijuana grow in the garage, where 800 marijuana plants were found. The fire started in the same location where Jacob Cato was shot and killed by deputies following an hours-long stand-off in November.
