And another fire broke out Sunday, this one closer to the Morongo Basin in Whitewater Preserve, called the Water fire. Crews gained control of the 70-acre wildfire in Whitewater Sunday evening, as the massive Apple fire continued to burn just 10 miles away. Firefighters received the first reports of a small vegetation fire at the preserve about 1:30 p.m. The first Cal Fire firefighters found about five acres burning at a moderate rate of spread near Whitewater Canyon. Cal Fire said forward spread had been stopped by 5 p.m., but the fire continued to grow; by 7 p.m., it had grown to 70 acres, consuming heavy fuels in the preserve and threatening the preserve’s visitor center. Cal Fire said 140 firefighters, three helicopter crews and two air tankers worked to put out the fire.
In what they called “an abundance of caution,” the Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation warning Sunday afternoon for residents of Rimrock and Pioneertown due to the Water Fire, but Sheriff’s Captain Luke Niles told Z107.7 News that if an evacuation becomes necessary, it is unlikely to be before Tuesday.
