Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree firefighters were called to several vegetation fires on the Yucca Grade about 11 p.m. last night. Fire Captain Steve Lasiter said that four small vegetation fires were burning on the south shoulder of eastbound Highway 62. The fires started about 50 feet from the bottom of the Yucca Grade and were several hundred yards apart to the top of the grade. Lasiter said because of the extremely dry conditions, the vegetation is ripe for a fire, needing just a spark, such as from a passing car that might have been dragging something, and the winds last night helped fan the flames. Firefighters were able to put out the blazes in about 15 minutes.
