Fire near Palm Springs tram sparked after balloon hit power lines

Firefighters put out a small brush fire near the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway late Monday afternoon, and officials said it all happened after a balloon struck power lines in the area.

Palm Springs firefighters got a call around 4:30 p.m. that a small area of brush was burning about a mile up Tramway Road. It only took about 20 minutes for crews to extinguish the blaze, which was burning in some rocky terrain.

The balloon, made of Mylar ( brand of polyester resin used to make heat-resistant plastic films and sheets ) was a ‘Happy Birthday’ balloon which you can buy at most stores, Palm Springs Fire Chief Ron Beverly said.

Apparently, these balloons frequently cause headaches for Southern California Edison, according to Chief Beverly.

Some visitors to the Palm Springs tourist attraction were escorted down the roadway to safety while crews worked on the fire. Traffic was allowed to go back to the Tramway Station around 5:45 p.m.