800-Acre Wildfire Closes I-90 Between Ellensburg & Vantage, Forces Evacuations
Traffic is moving once again on Interstate-90 in Kittitas County, where residents are also breathing a sigh of relief after a wildfire threatened dozens of homes late Wednesday.
Officials say the Ryegrass Coulee Fire sparked at just before 5 p.m. and spread quickly in gusty winds - prompting Level 3 evacuations for hundreds of residents.
The blaze also forced a 22-mile stretch of I-90 to close for several hours as the flames burned dangerously near to the freeway, and also shutdown most of the Vantage Highway.
The interstate was re-opened at around 9:30 p.m. and crews had the fire under control before midnight.
The National Interagency Fire Center says the blaze blackened around 800 acres.
Utility crews are still working to restore electrical service in some areas, after the fire destroyed or damaged numerous power poles and caused downed power lines which kept the Vantage Highway closed overnight.
No structures were damaged or destroyed and no injuries reported.
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Gallery Credit: AJ Brewster
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