Firefighters contain 1,500-acre wildfire near Ritzville

A 1,500-acre brush fire that ignited Tuesday west of Ritzville, Washington, temporarily closed Interstate 90 and State Route 21 before it was contained by late afternoon.

The Bauer Coulee fire started at about 11:10 a.m. near Lind, according to a State Fire Marshal’s Office news release. State firefighting resources were authorized late Tuesday afternoon.

Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said state mobilization crews were expected to arrive Wednesday morning to help line the fire.

He said fire crews were monitoring for potential flareups overnight into Wednesday. No homes were threatened and no evacuations were in effect Tuesday night, Wagner said.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page said the fire destroyed two older, unoccupied buildings. The sheriff’s office said it’s believed the fire was started by a farmer mowing Conservation Reserve Program land.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to the fire marshal’s office. It said the fire burned sage brush and wheat.

Eastbound I-90 at the interchange with State Route 21 and State Route 21 from I-90 south to Franz Road closed Tuesday afternoon, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. State Route 21 and I-90 reopened by late afternoon.

The National Weather Service Spokane issued a red flag warning Tuesday for central and Eastern Washington because of windy conditions and low humidity.

The Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency reported an unhealthy air quality for the Spokane area Tuesday night because of gusting winds and blowing dust.