A downed pole and power lines have caused power outages in various areas throughout the Morongo Basin. According to Yucca Valley firefighters and SoCal Edison’s website, the power outage started Wednesday afternoon in Morongo Valley, when a power pole, with three large transformers on it, at Big Morongo Canyon and the highway caught fire. Power lines came down at Aspen and the highway. CHP shut down Highway 62 for about 45 minutes until Edison could turn off the power and firefighters could put out the fires. A power pole at Joshua Lane and Santa Barbara caught fire about 8:30, and the top of the pole burned through, sheering off the pole right above transformer and the wire cross bars. Edison says it is still working on restoring power.
