State fire crews in Washington were mobilized to help battle a fast-moving wildfire burning near the Tri-Cities. By evening, the blaze had already grown to more than 500 acres, making it a significant and rapidly spreading threat in the area.
The fire was burning near Interstate 82, about halfway between Benton City and Prosser. Its location near the major highway raised concerns for both nearby communities and traffic moving through the corridor.
According to authorities, the wildfire sparked around 1 o'clock in the afternoon. From that point, it spread quickly, expanding to over 500 acres in a matter of hours as crews worked to get a handle on the flames.
As the fire grew, officials put evacuation orders in place for the surrounding area. Both Level 2 and Level 3 evacuations were underway, signaling that some residents were being told to be ready to leave while others were urged to get out immediately.
To bolster the response, crews from the all-risk mobilization unit were dispatched to the area just after 6 o'clock in the evening. Their role was to help coordinate resources and personnel in the effort to slow and contain the fast-moving wildfire.
The fire came as record heat gripped the wider region. A heat advisory was in effect from 11 o'clock in the morning and set to continue through the following day, with record-high temperatures reported at stations including Olympia at 92 degrees and SeaTac at 89 degrees, conditions that heightened the wildfire danger.