San Bernardino County Fire responded to two fires late last night (June 24) and early this morning (June 25) within 30 minutes of each other. According to County Fire Battalion Chief Donnie Viloria, fire crews from Twentynine Palms, the Combat Center, and Joshua Tree first responded to a structure fire at 11:52 p.m. in the 6000 block of Regino St. in Twentynine Palms. Arriving units reported heavy turbulent black smoke. Crews began an aggressive attack on the fire, but were forced to retreat after a partial roof collapse of the structure. The fire was knocked down in forty minutes. Bystanders reported that no one lived at the property, but that someone was scene in the vicinity prior to the fire.
Then at 12:22 a.m., fire engines from Yucca Valley and Cal-Fire responded to another structure fire in the 67000 block of Appian Way in Joshua Tree. Yucca Valley units arrived on scene and found a small, off-grid, single-family dwelling well involved with fire. The fire was quickly extinguished and there were no indications that anyone was home. Viloria stated that the fires do not appear to be related. Investigators are still determining the cause and origin of both fires.
