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About 120 people were evacuated from Vantage. A forest fire that started late Monday night threatens their homes. (WSDOT Photo)
VANTAGE, Wash. – The entire city of Vantage and surrounding areas have been evacuated and Interstate 90 has been closed in both directions by a rapidly moving forest fire in central Washington .
around 11 pm Monday and has spread very rapidly, driven by gusts of up to 100 km / h, said Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue Chief John Sinclair. The sheriff's officials said.
In addition, a 22-mile stretch of I-90 was closed in both directions east of Ellensburg just east of the Vantage Bridge. Rider Brian Moore says that crash barriers are badly damaged and that blowing smoke and ash sometimes limits visibility.
But WSDOT officials estimate that the highway will reopen at noon
Until then, the I-90 traffic is stopped at Kittitas Exit 115, six miles east. Ellensburg, and west traffic is stopped at Exit 137 junction of the SR-26 on the east side of the Vantage Bridge. No detour is possible by local roads.
The forest fire, called the Ryegrass Coulee Fire, burned about 1,500 to 2,000 acres as of 10 am Tuesday. Until now, the fire is confined to about 3%.
Several teams, including the Department of Natural Resources of the State, are working to contain the fire around Vantage, which is directly threatened by the flames. Sinclair said three people chose to stay in their homes when the evacuations were ordered.
Sinclair stated that the fire reached the bank of the Columbia River, but 2-inch embers blew over the entire river
. would think something as big as the Columbia River would stop a forest fire, "Sinclair said. "Not when you fight against 60 mph winds."
An outbuilding burned and a barn damaged by the flames. Several utilities have also burned.
The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office worked with the Red Cross to establish a shelter for evacuees at the George Community Hall, 403 W. Montmorency Boulevard, in the City of George. Officials are also asking people in Wanapum State Park to find shelter where they are because Huntzinger Road is closed.
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