Published Wednesday, July 26, 2023, 2100 PT
Incident Summary
The RYEGRASS FIRE is burning about four miles east of Ryegrass Pass in Washington State, starting on Monday, July 24, 2023. (Above) Photo Credit: WSDOT
The cause of the fire was due to an electrical fire inside a semi-truck which spread to nearby fire fuels. The driver (the only occupant at the time) was able to escape without any injuries.
Current Status
The fire has burned about 332 acres of grass and brush with a 50% containment status. It is currently being observed as minimal fire behavior with smoldering and creeping.
Resources
The fire is being managed by a Type 4 ImT.
Historical Fires in this Area
August 1-6, 2022 VANTAGE HWY FIRE: A wildfire named the Vantage Hwy Fire ignited from an unknown cause about 5 miles west of the Town of Vantage.
(L) Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office
The command was listed under SE WA IMT Team 12, a Type 2 IMT. This IMT team was also managing another wildfire named the COW CANYON FIRE. There was a lot of new coverage by a lot of reporters, fire chasers, and others. It was said to have burned 32,284 acres and was listed as 75% contained on August 8, 2022, burning more than 32,000 acres.
Firefighters staffing Tender 1 from the Moses Lake Fire Department joined the Grant County Strike Team assigned to the Fire in Kittitas County on August 1. The fire at this time had burned about 5,000 acres with 0% containment status.
Jun 18-19, 2021 VANTAGE FIRE: On June 18, 2021, multiple fires were burning east of Kittitas at Parke Creek Road, where about 325 acres were burned and the fire was contained on June 19, 2021.
Resources included Kittitas County Fire District 1, Kittitas Valley F&R, and WA DNR, along with copter and SEATs.
Photo Credit: Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office.
(left) Photo Credit: Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office
July 11, 2020 VANTAGE FIRE:
July 6, 2019 VANTAGE FIRE: A fire named the VANTAGE FIRE broke out six miles west of George, which was being reported as a 10-acre fire and growing.
September 9, 2018: A fire burns near the Ryegrass Rest Area, west of Vantage in Kittitas County, which is slowing down westbound I-90 traffic.
July 10-12, 2018 RYEGRASS COULEE FIRE: The fire was contained on July 12, 2023. The community of Vantage is forced to evacuate as the fire burns in both directions of I-90. It burns between Ellensburg and Vantage. The fire is said to have grown to 1,600 acres by Tuesday, forcing officials to shut down a 22-mile stretch of I-90. FEMA approves federal funds to help fight the [fire].
July 21, 2018 BOYLSTON FIRE: A wildfire broke out near the Ryegrass Rest Area. About 1,000 acres had been burned by July 10, 2018. (Photo Credit: WA DNR) State Mobe was approved and responded to the area. One of the members of the South Puget Sound Strike Team was Valley Regional Fire Authority (Renton)
(R) Photo Credit: WSP District 6 PIO (Boylston Fire)
June 24-25, 2018 MILEPOST 22 FIRE: A wildfire broke out on June 24, 2018, about 11 miles east of Vantage, where the fire scorched about 7,614 acres.
We did a little fire chasing driving over to eastern Washington after crews were mopping up and seeing the devastation the fire did to the land.
(Below) Photo Credit: NW Fire Blog
It also destroyed a part of the Ginkgo Petrified Forest. It was suspected to be human-caused.
September 17, 2017 MILE MARKER 124 FIRE: A wildfire, named the MILE MARKER 124 FIRE broke out due to a car fire that caught nearby brush ablaze and began running up the hillside on I-90 and milepost 126.
It not only burned dry brush and grass but snarled traffic, causing a three-mile backup. WA DNR and WA National Guard helicopters, five planes, and 100+ acres spreading fast were first reported by the Fire Agency.
(L and below) Photo Credit: WSP (wspd6pio)
August 23-24, 2017: A brush fire was reported near I-90 near Ryegrass at milepost 124, which was reported the fire had jumped the freeway but was quickly brought under control. Traffic was backed up for 10 miles.
July 9, 2017: I-90 eastbound was closed again as a fire burned near the westbound lanes on the Vantage Bridge.
July 1, 2017: A truck carrying large bales of hay caught fire on Saturday at 1400 hours PT causing a fire. It was located on I-90 westbound at milepost 125, about 15 miles east of Ellensburg. It is near the Ryegrass Rest Area. 192 acres.
(L) Ryegrass Fire. Photo Credit: WA DNR
100 acres. WA DNR had two copters from the Ellensburg location, along with four engines, and one dozer, and local fire districts had responded.
August 17, 2016 VANTAGE FIRE
A wildfire breaks out from an unknown cause.
July 4, 2016 VANTAGE FIRE
A wildfire broke out on July 4, 2016, south of Wanapum State Park in Kittitas County.
May 29, 2016 VANTAGE FIRE: A fire breaks out in Vantage.
October 26, 2015: A semi-fire causes a brush fire to ignite near Ryegrass.
July 15, 2014: I-90 at milepost 126, at the Ryegrass Rest Area to Milepost 137 in Vantage, the area is impacted by traffic alerts and detours due to a fire in the area.
July 20, 2012: Eastbound I90 at milepost 131 near Ryegrass Summit and west of Vantage, a grass fire near the highway makes driving conditions dangerous as visibility is cut to poor.
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