BY CRAIG BROWN, COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER
Firefighters are having a busy Saturday afternoon fighting grass and brush fires. So far, no structure damage or injuries have been reported.
Shortly before 4 p.m. firefighters were called to an area near the east end of the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail, in the area of Alki Road and 53rd Street. A fast-moving fire was burning up a hillside and threatening a home at 5703 N.W. 53rd St.
A separate fire was burning along Alki Road.
The third fire closed Interstate 5 north and south of Main Street in Vancouver this afternoon.
All three fires were within a mile of each other.
The freeway fire started shortly after 2 p.m. and rapidly spread with flames 10 feet high and taller. The freeway was closed for about 45 minutes.
The smoky blaze is near where the freeway runs through the Burnt Bridge Creek ravine at the foot of Main Street, according to a witness.
It was near Leverich Park.
No damage has been reported, but the freeway was closed due to smoke and to let firefighters work safely.
The Vancouver Fire Department and Clark County Fire District 6 were fighting the fires. The Portland Fire Bureau sent a truck to the downtown Vancouver fire station to provide backup here.
By 2:50 p.m. some firefighters were being released from the I-5 fire to return to their stations, only to be recalled to the newer fires. Traffic was allowed back onto the freeway as mop-up continued.
The temperature was 90 degrees as firefighters battled the flames. The record heat of the last week and a long summer spell of dry days has greatly increased the fire danger in Southwest Washington. The National Weather Service today issued a fire weather watch for the region.
Jim Mains took these photos of the 53rd Street fire.
