A Morongo Valley man ended up with perfectly cooked ribs despite a fire in his smoker that started his back patio on fire. About 4 p.m. Tuesday, Morongo Valley fire crews were called to a home near Mojave Drive and Juniper Avenue. The resident said the regulator valve to a portable propane tank failed; the patio, back fence, and grass caught fire. The homeowner called 911 and fought the blaze with a garden hose. The flames were mostly out by the time fire crews arrived. Firefighters were concerned that the blaze might have spread into the attic since there was charred insulation, but an investigation found no spread. When the homeowner opened the smoker to check on the ribs, he found they were perfectly cooked; no word on whether he shared with the firefighters.
