Twentynine Palms firefighters were called to two back-to-back fires Tuesday afternoon. County Fire Battalion Chief Donnie Viloria said the first call came in at 3:15 p.m. in the 7300 block of Saladin Avenue in south Twentynine Palms. Crews from Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree, and the Combat Center arrived to find an abandoned house in flames; Viloria said it’s believed that squatters were living in the structure. Firefighters were able to save the 1,000 square-foot building.
Numerous passers-by reported the second fire at 4:03 p.m. in the 1000 block of Morongo Road, just south of the back gate of the Combat Center. Viloria said this fire was burning vegetation and brush piles near outbuildings of an occupied mobile home. Crews from the Combat Center, Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, and a different fire crew from Twentynine Palms responded and had the fire out quickly. Fire officials are investigating both blazes.
Viloria said he does not believe the fires are related, nor does he think they are related to a recent string of arsons in the city or Wonder Valley.
