Shooting Was Cause of Banning Fire Sunday, Other Fires Being Investigated

Gunfire, power lines and spontaneous combustion of manure were identified as causes of some of the recent fires in and near the San Gorgonio Pass, Cal Fire officials said Monday.

Shooting was the cause of the Banning Fire that burned about nine acres of brush Sunday afternoon south of Banning and southeast of Sun Lakes, Cheri Patterson of Cal Fire-Riverside County said.

About 20 people were seen leaving the area right after the fire was reported at 3 p.m., near Sunset Avenue and Longhorn Road, Patterson said.

The people who were shooting or seen leaving in a hurry were considered persons of interest, Patterson said. Whoever started the fire could be charged with negligently starting a fire, not arson, Patterson said.

A 22-year-old Cherry Valley man who left the area and was later arrested on suspicion of possessing explosives was not charged with starting the fire, Patterson said.

Because he was in the area and he was also in possession of a firearm, he was among the persons of interest identified by Cal Fire investigators, Patterson said.

The cause of the Cabazon Fire that burned about 90 acres earlier Sunday afternoon between Cabazon and Highway 111 was undetermined, Patterson said.

The cause of the Gilman Fire, which burned an estimated 945 acres in the Badlands on Saturday and early Sunday, was under investigation, Patterson said.

The cause of the Valley Fire, which burned about 33 acres of grass near Mount Edna Road and Highway 243 on Wednesday, Aug. 3, was undetermined.

The Whitewater Fire that burned about three acres on Aug. 1 was caused by power lines, Patterson said.

Several residents said lightning and thunder preceded the Elm Fire that burned about seven acres above southeast Cabazon on July 30, but Cal Fire investigators had reached no conclusions on what caused the blaze.

The cause of the San Tim Fire on July 20 near 28591 San Timoteo Canyon Road, north of Moreno Valley, was spontaneous combustion of manure, Patterson said.

The fire season so far this year has been mild, Patterson said.