San Bernardino County Fire Department firefighters are still battling the Eureka Fire inside Joshua Tree National Park which was first reported on Friday just before noon in the Covington Flats area near Carmelita Place in Yucca Valley.
The blaze quickly spread throughout the day and engulfed 175 acres by the end of Friday. By Saturday night officials report the fire burned 212 acres and is 40% contained. The firefighting efforts included two hand crews, 11 engines, two water tenders, two and one helicopter. There are no reports of injury or structural damage. Read the latest update from Joshua Tree National Park below.
Joshua Tree National Park Press Release:
The ongoing response to the Eureka Fire in Joshua Tree National Park had crews working through the night on containment lines. There was a slop over fire on the southeast side of the line early this morning. Crews quickly contained the 4 acres.
The fire is at 212 acres and 40% containment as of 9:00am. Fresh crews will continue to work through the day. The weather will be warmer with temperatures near 86. South southwest winds of 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph are expected. Equipment assigned to the fire includes 11 engines, 2 water tenders, 2 hand crews, and 1 helicopter for the day shift. Crews from Bureau of Land Management, Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, San Bernardino County Sheriffs and Fire Protection continue to assist.Â
The cause of the Eureka Fire is currently unknown and under investigation.There are temporary closures within the affected areas of the park while fire containment remains active:
- Lower Covington Flats Road and La Contenta within the Park boundary.
- Backcountry camping in the zones covering Black Rock, Covington, Quail Wash, and Juniper.
- California Riding and Hiking Trail starting in Black Rock
- Creosote/Bigfoot Trail starting off Park Blvd in the park.Â
Safety of our firefighters and the public remains our number one priority.
images from JoshuaTreeNPS
