Fire burning near Interstate 90

A rapidly spreading brush fire along Geiger Boulevard west of Spokane briefly threatened the Washington State Patrol headquarters and other businesses early Thursday evening. Spokane County Fire District 10 firefighters and other crews quickly stopped the spread of the flames near Geiger Blvd. and Grove Road, said Department of Natural Resources spokesman Eric Keller. When crews arrived they found that several spot fires had already started away from the main fire. That’s not unusual in the current dangerous and volatile conditions, Keller said. “We’re seeing fires that are gaining momentum by throwing embers in front of themselves,” he said. “All of our fires are moving extremely fast.” The fire was estimated at between three and five acres. The cause of the fire is under investigation.