Mecca fire at 85% containment, some residents still without water or power

Update – 3/19/19:

Cal Fire announced the fire remains at 564 but containment has increased to 85-percent.

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Original Story – 3/18/19:

According to CalFire, the Mecca Fire is now at 70% containment. Fire crews are still in the area working to keep the fire under control.

“Today is mop up and patrol as well as reinforcing the containment lines to make sure that with the approaching front that’s supposed to happen late Tuesday that our lines will hold,” said Battalion Chief Bryan White, CalFire and Riverside County Fire Dept.

“The humidity is the biggest challenge in these kind of fields but the winds have been cooperative and we’ve been making good work,” he said.

Some residents in the area are still dealing with power outages and a lack of running water.

“We were having multiple power outages throughout the day. There would be light for 30 minutes and the power outage would come for 10 minutes and then light would come back on for 10 minutes and then leave for 30 minutes so that also kept us awake because it was really hot,” said Cesar Fonseca, a resident of Mecca.

CalFire says they hope to have water and power fully restored to the area by tonight.

The initial cause of the fire is still under investigation.