Firefighters from Joshua Tree were the first on the scene for a vegetation fire in the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Sunday. Morongo Valley firefighters and Yucca Valley firefighters were both on other calls when the fire was called in about 3:30 p.m. About one-half acre of heavy brush was burning in trees in the preserve behind the softball fields on Park Avenue. Calfire assisted with the fire, and Morongo Valley firefighters arrived later after they had finished their earlier call. Probationary firefighter Snod said not only did firefighters have to fight the flames, but several rattlesnakes that were angry about being displaced.
