Another West Plains freeway fire breaks out

For the third time in the past several months a series of brush fires broke out along a stretch of Interstate 90 on Monday, Sept. 24, threatening evacuations at one point in the afternoon.

The origin appeared to be at Exit 272, State Route 902, with additional fires strung along the eastbound shoulder of the freeway. The wind-driven fire stretched nearly 5 miles to the Geiger exit, charring 63 acres.

Spokane County Fire District 3 Division Chief Deb Dodson said the cause is, and will remain undetermined as no evidence was found at any ignition point indicating what might have set the blaze.

While generally limited to the area off the right side of the roadway, the fire did take off and burned a field to the south east near Thomas-Mallen Road, prompting a brief Level 2 evacuation notice by mid-afternoon.

Students at Snowden Elementary School were ordered to shelter in place for a time, Dodson said.

No structures were lost or damaged, but numerous others were threatened. A number of different agencies worked to protect Coast-to-Coast Turf and the numerous rolls of synthetic athletic turf.

At no time did the fire, which was first reported about noon, halt traffic on the freeway.

Spokane County Fire District No. 3, the Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Air Force and others responded to the call with the fires considered under control and in the mop-up stages by late afternoon.

A fire earlier in June, caused by defective equipment on a passing semi had multiple ignition spots near Four Lakes, but caused no significant damage.

However, on Aug. 6, the Silver Lake Fire, also started by hot parts from a passing vehicle, burned 345 acres, destroyed one outbuilding but threatened over 200 structures of various kinds and cost an estimated $425,000 to get under control.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.