Vegetation Fire Burns 100 Palm Trees at Prescott Preserve in Palm Springs

A vegetation fire burned approximately 100 palm trees and 3.5 acres at Prescott Preserve in Palm Springs on Sunday afternoon.

The Palm Springs Fire Department responded to reports of flames near the turtle pond around 2:17 p.m. By the time crews arrived six minutes later, the fire was already spreading rapidly through dry vegetation, according to the department.

Firefighters upgraded the incident to a Second Alarm, bringing in mutual aid from Cathedral City Fire and Cal Fire.

The preserve sits on the former Mesquite Country Club site along Farrell Drive south of Ramon Road, encompassing 120 acres of wildland with limited road access.

"With numerous palm trees on the Peninsula Golf Course preserve, that got involved, all super dry with heavy vegetation, it quickly spread to the next island and then we were picking up palm trees along the golf course," Battalion Chief Matthew MacLean said.

Wind-carried embers ignited at least one tree in the nearby Mesquite Country Club condo complex. Firefighters extinguished it before flames could reach homes, while some residents used garden hoses to protect their properties.

Around 40 firefighters battled the blaze for two hours as smoke spread over Palm Springs. Farrell Drive was temporarily closed for emergency access.

The fire was fully contained by 4 p.m. with no injuries and no structural damage. The cause of the fire has not been disclosed.