Driver with flat sparked multiple fires along WA's I-90 causing closure
Driver with flat sparks multiple fires along I-90
A driver with a flat tire, driving on a rim, is accused of starting multiple fires along a long stretch of I-90 that forced the closure of the highway outside Cle Elum, and caused residents to prepare to evacuate some neighborhoods.
CLE ELUM, Wash. - A driver with a flat tire, driving on a rim, is accused of starting multiple fires along a long stretch of I-90 that forced the closure of the highway outside Cle Elum, and caused residents to prepare to evacuate some neighborhoods.
Keep reading to learn more about the closures and how helicopters are helping attack the fires.
Smoke from the fires closed I-90 at milepost 93
What we know:
The closure stretched from I-90 at milepost 93 (Elk Heights) and eastbound at milepost 70 at Lake Easton. The Washington State Patrol says the smoke on the highway was the reason for the closure.
Helicopters and planes helped to attack the fires from above while ground crews battled the fires below.
Drivers said while they're used to the potential for wildfires in the area, the closure of the highway was unusual.
"It’s much easier to wait when I know it’s clearing up," said Fil Tribble, a Cle Elum resident who was stuck in traffic.
The fires created lengthy backups on I-90
Tribble joined a long line of motorists in the miles-long backup Monday afternoon.
The Washington State Patrol said they were forced to shut down I-90 due to poor visibility. Trooper Jeremy Weber said the wind and smoke turned I-90 into one big dust storm.
via WSDOT
"It’s been so dry this summer we are all scared," said Tribble.
Some residents were also put under a "Get Ready" evacuation notice.
"It sounds like they are doing a good job with the fires," Tribble emphasized.
Residents say they are aware of how fast a fire like that can spread.
"All of us in Central Washington, we are all keyed into the burn ban, the dangers of cinders flying, and so we are all scared anything could start something major," said Tribble.
A trailer with a flat tire was likely the cause of the fires
Dig deeper:
The Kittitas County Sheriff says an eastbound trailer throwing sparks from the rim of a flat tire is believed to have caused several of the fires.
The driver has been identified, and the trailer was stopped; the driver was uninjured.
The sheriff's office says a Type 3 Management Team has been called in to manage any remaining threats.
The Kittitas County Sheriff posted Monday evening:
"Air resources provided and managed by the Department of Natural Resources are assisting local crews holding the fires and no other evacuation warnings are currently believed necessary. A Type 3 Incident Management Team is arriving this evening to manage any remaining threat."
The Source: Information in this story came from the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office, Washington State Patrol and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.
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