Spark from car or discarded cigarette likely caused brush fire near I-5 in Seattle
Red flag warning in western WA
We are under a Red Flag Warning on Tuesday as temperatures are expected to be back up into the 80s.
SEATTLE - Sunday's three-alarm brush fire along Interstate 5 in Seattle was ruled as accidental, and likely caused by a spark from a vehicle or improperly discarded smoking material, fire officials said.
Timeline:
The fire started before 4 p.m. in the dry brush along Northbound I-5 near South Myrtle Street in the Beacon Hill neighborhood.
It traveled in two directions; northeast toward South Willow Street and southeast toward South Othello Street. The fire was upgraded from a 2-alarm to a 3-alarm response as flames fanned up the hill, and more than 120 firefighters responded.
(Seattle Fire Department)
When crews arrived at the location, five homes were evacuated and four of them were involved in the fire.
Multiple people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. One person remained in critical condition, as of Monday.
Seattle fire investigators believe the fire was an accident. It was likely caused by a spark from a car passing by on the highway or a driver may have tossed out a cigarette into the dry grass.
What's next:
The warm summer conditions have left dry brush and vegetation throughout the region.
A Fire Weather Watch was in effect from late Monday into Tuesday for the eastern Puget Sound lowlands and the western Cascade foothills. Gusty Cascade gap winds could quickly spread brush fires or wildfires.
Seattle weather: Late summer heat Tuesday
Tuesday will bring increased winds and fire danger, with highs reaching mid to upper 80s.
Wildfire smoke will move into the Puget Sound area Tuesday from fires burning in Central and Eastern Washington.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Seattle Fire Department, various weather models interpreted by FOX 13 Chief Meteorologist Brian MacMillan and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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