Fire investigators say the Mountain Fire was caused by electrical equipment failure on private property, a nearly 20-acre parcel of land along Highway 243 in Mountain Center owned by Tarek M. Al-Shawaf, of Saudi Arabia. Because a fire originated on a property does not mean the owner was involved. The wildfire, which burned 27,531 acres, is expected to be fully contained today. The cost of fighting the fire now stands at $25.2 million. More than 3,400 firefighters assisted in efforts to contain the blaze, which was reported at 1:43 p.m. July 15 at Highway 243 and Highway 74. It burned from east of Mountain Center, through the Apple Canyon and Bonita Vista areas, and then along the Desert Divide and southern portion of the San Jacinto Wilderness. Seven homes and 15 other structures were destroyed. The fire led to the evacuations of several mountain communities, including Mountain Center, Idyllwild, Fern Valley and Pine Cove, and the temporary closure of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
