Wildfire Road Closure Roundup

Posted by Unknown in , , on Friday, July 18, 2014

Last updated: 4:00 p.m.

Signing off for the weekend: Please check the travel alerts web page  for the latest information.

Active wildfires in north central Washington have led to the closure of multiple highways. Conditions are likely to change throughout the day. Be sure to check our travel alerts web page before you head out.

Eastbound I-90 near Kittitas

Update: I-90 eastbound has reopened.

I-90 is scheduled to reopen at 3:00 p.m. It was originally scheduled to open at 2:30 but remains closed due to blowing dust and poor visibility.

Eastbound I-90 near Kittitas is closed, and will be for at least most of today. Detour around the closure area begins at exit 115, taking travelers on Old Vantage Highway and adding two hours of additional driving time.

Conditions on I-90 earlier today.

About four to six inches of ash is in the area after a brush fire Tuesday. Around 40 mph are predicted through the area, so whiteout conditions similar to a blizzard are anticipated to impact eastbound traffic. Westbound lanes of I-90 are open as they are separated from the eastbound lanes by a hill that is acting like a barrier against the wind and ash.

With US 2 also closed (see below), we expect to see about 8,000 more vehicles traveling on I-90 on Friday and about 9,000 more vehicles traveling on Sunday. Could be about as bad as a Memorial weekend day travel. If your headed that way we'll need to plan for added travel time and pack your patience.

US 2 from Cole’s Corner to Leavenworth

US 2 Stevens Pass is closed from Cole’s Corner to Leavenworth. Both SR 207 and Chumstick Highway are open as a detour to Leavenworth. If you’re coming from the west, take SR 207 to get to Lake Wenatchee.

US 97 closures

US 97 at milepost 275 today
A wildfire named the Carlton Complex fire has US 97 closed in both directions from Chelan to SR 17.

UPDATE 3:56 p.m.:  SR 153 just reopened again. For the second time today.

SR 20 from Loup Loup summit to Okanogan

SR 20 is closed east of Twisp in both directions, starting at Finley Canyon to the summit of Loup Loup Pass. West side traffic headed east can still access Winthrop using SR 20. 

Again, these closures are likely to change throughout the day so keep an eye out on our travel alerts web page for the latest information. 

This entry was posted on Friday, July 18, 2014 at 12:41 PM and is filed under , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.