Fire sparked by barbecue temporarily shuts down Interstate 90

Interstate 90 in both directions at George, Washington, was temporarily closed Sunday due to a wildfire that officials say was caused by a spark from a barbecue.

The fire began around 6 p.m., the Grant County sheriff said in a tweet, approximately 11 miles west of George between I-90 and the Columbia River. The initial estimate of the fire was 1,000 acres. I-90 was closed westbound at Exit 154, while eastbound at state Route 26 was also closed.

As flames spread, the Sheriff’s Office notified nearby residents of a Level 2 evacuation alert in the area of Old Vantage Highway camp between George and Vantage Bridge. A Level 2 evacuation means people should be ready, due to a significant danger in the area. Residents can choose to either voluntarily relocate to shelter or to prepare for immediate evacuation.

By 9:30 p.m., the fire had been contained and I-90 was reopened in both directions, but the evacuation remained in place. The Grant County sheriff called the incident an accident and reported that no criminal charges were filed.

Deputies said no one was injured.