Crime & Safety
Cause of Mountain Fire Determined, Electrical Equipment to Blame
Cal Fire announced Thursday that they've pinpointed not only the location of the Mountain Fire's start, but what sparked it.
The cause of the massive wildfire which forced the temporary evacuation of thousands of residents in the Idyllwild and Fern Valley areas and burned more than 27,000 acres was sparked by faulty electrical equipment, fire officials announced Thursday evening.
The Mountain Fire first started on the afternoon of July 15, near the junction of highways 243 and 74 in the San Bernardino National Forest, south of Idyllwild.
Forest Service officials announced last week that the ignition was "human-caused," though they couldn't expand more at the time. Now, Cal Fire says they've narrowed it down to a piece of electrical equipment.
"CAL FIRE Investigators have determined the cause of the 'Mountain Fire' to be an electrical equipment failure on private property," said Battalion Chief Julie Hutchinson in an emailed statement. "The electrical equipment failure occurred on the customer side of the meter. No further details will be released as this remains an on-going investigation."
As of Thursday morning when the latest update was issued by the U.S. Forest Service, the fire's size was estimated at 27,531 acres, and was 92 percent contained. Full containment was expected Friday.
Forest Service Spokesman John Miller said the cost to fight the fire to date is $25.2 million. At one point, there were more than 3,300 firefighters fighting the wildfire, as it spread east of Mountain Center, through the Apple Canyon and Bonita Vista areas, and then along the Desert Divide and southern portion of the San Jacinto Wilderness.
During the fire's peak, evacuations of several mountain communities were ordered, including Mountain Center, Idyllwild, Fern Valley, and Pine Cove.
For previous Patch coverage of the Mountain Fire click the following links:
- Firefighting Resources Cut Dramatically As Mountain Fire is 92 Percent Contained
- Fire Crews Reach 91 Percent Containment on Mountain Fire, Visitors Welcomed Back to Area
- As Containment Nears in Mountain Fire, Cost Estimated at $22.8 Million, Resources Scaled Back
- RAIN ON MOUNTAIN FIRE, EVACS LIFTED: Full Containment Expected Friday
- MOUNTAIN FIRE UPDATE: Weather Aids Fire Crews, Blaze Estimated 49 Percent Contained, Cost $18.4M
- MOUNTAIN FIRE UPDATE: Blaze Burns 42 Square Miles, 3,400+ Personnel, Evacuation Warning for Pine Cove
- 'UNUSUAL FIRE BEHAVIOR': Mountain Fire Incident Commander Discusses Fire Weather, Evac Orders
- Palm Desert's Assemblyman Asks Governor to Declare State of Emergency
- Mountain Fire Local Impact Map by ESRI of Redlands
- MOUNTAIN FIRE: Some Residents Stay, but Most of Idyllwild is 'Ghost Town'
- VIDEO: Idyllwild Fire Chief Discusses Evacuations, Mountain Fire Threat
- MOUNTAIN FIRE UPDATE: Blaze Now 19,400 Acres, 4,100 Homes Threatened, Evac Orders for Idyllwild, Fern Valley
- Beaumont High School Transformed Into Emergency Shelter for Fire Evacuees
- MOUNTAIN FIRE PHOTOS: Property Damage, Watershed Damage, Firefighters, Pilots
- MOUNTAIN FIRE: Now 9,000 Acres Burned, 2,200+ Personnel, 21 Structures Destroyed
- MOUNTAIN FIRE UPDATE: Blaze Now Est. 2,400 Acres, Structure Damage Reported, Mandatory Evacs at Bonita Vista, Fleming Ranch, Animal Sanctuary
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