A pole fire caused by changing weather conditions resulted in many residents in north Spokane going without power for about two to three hours Sunday evening.

At about 5 p.m. Sunday, a transmission pole near the Colbert electrical substation suddenly caught fire, affecting four electrical substations and resulting in about 12,000 Avista customers losing power in the areas of Colbert and Deer Park, Avista spokeswoman Mary Tyrie said.

“It was a significant number of people,” Tyrie said.

The fire started due to weather and likely was the result of dust and other particles collecting on the cables after the prolonged dry spell, she said. When moisture hits these particles, it “creates a circuit and trips the power,” she said.

Tyrie said most customers had power back within two to three hours.