BENTON CITY, WA — Firefighters are battling a fast-moving grass fire south of Benton City that grew rapidly Thursday afternoon, forced evacuations and shut down several roads, including stretches of Interstate 82. By late evening, officials said the Second Street Fire had burned 1,156 acres and remained 0% contained.
The blaze started as a reported brush fire near northeast Second Street around 3 p.m., according to dispatch records. Crews arrived to find flames already covering about a quarter-acre and moving toward nearby homes. As the fire spread through grass, brush and urban forested areas, emergency officials expanded evacuation orders and called in additional resources.
Level 3 evacuations spread across neighborhoods southeast of State Route 224
By early evening, officials had issued Level 3, or “GO NOW,” evacuation orders for several areas near the fire. Those included the area from Kennedy Road and State Route 224 to the intersection of North Sunset, as well as the subdivision accessed by North Valley Drive Way and Pear Drive.
The evacuation zone also covered Apple Drive, Cherry Drive, Berry Drive and Plum Drive, along with the Kiona Village Community Mobile Home Park. Residents in those areas were told to leave immediately and not stop to gather extra belongings. Officials also reminded people to call 911 only for emergencies, not to ask questions about the fire.
Level 2 warning remains for part of the State Route 224 corridor
Not every neighborhood near the fire was under a full evacuation order. Emergency officials also kept a Level 2, or “BE SET,” evacuation in place from State Route 224 at Sunset Road to Keene Road.
Late-night updates showed the situation changing as crews gained limited ground and road access improved. By 11 p.m., officials said evacuations for the State Route 224 area had been downgraded to Level 2, though a large section of the fire area remained under Level 3. Earlier in the evening, some roads were reopened, but responders said they would stay on scene to watch for hot spots and flare-ups.
Road closures stretch from Kennedy Road to Interstate 82
The fire prompted several transportation shutdowns in the Benton City area. Kennedy Road was closed, and both directions of Interstate 82 were shut down between Benton City and about milepost 100. Dallas at East Jacobs Road was also listed among the closures.
As the evening went on, some access points reopened. Officials said SR 224 and Keene Road had reopened by 9:30 p.m., and other roads were later reopened as well. Even with that progress, authorities kept some closures in place because crews still had to monitor the fire perimeter and protect nearby property.
At least one home destroyed as crews call in more resources
Fire officials said at least one home was confirmed destroyed. They also described the fire as threatening homes, infrastructure and Interstate 84 as it moved through dry fuels south of Benton City.
The fire’s growth also prompted a state fire mobilization, bringing in additional support from outside the immediate area. Aerial firefighting resources were dispatched earlier in the afternoon, and multiple agencies worked to slow the spread through the brush and grass. Officials said the blaze was growing quickly, with the acreage estimate rising several times during the day as crews tracked conditions.
Shelters open in Benton City and Richland as air quality impacts spread
Emergency managers opened two evacuation shelters for displaced residents. KiBe High School, at 1205 Horne Road in Benton City, was set up first as a temporary evacuation center.
A second shelter opened at Central Church, 1124 Stevens Road in Richland. The fire also affected other parts of daily life in the Tri-Cities area, including athletics. Kennewick and Richland high schools postponed their football game because of the fire and the air quality conditions.
Cause remains under investigation while crews watch for flare-ups
Officials said the cause of the Second Street Fire remains under investigation. At the time of the latest update, firefighters were still monitoring the area for hot spots and possible flare-ups after making some progress in reopening roads and releasing some resources from the scene.
The fire began as a quarter-acre brush fire and then expanded rapidly into a major incident spanning more than 1,100 acres. Even after some restrictions were eased, emergency crews continued to treat the blaze as active and dangerous, with evacuation orders and closures still affecting part of the Benton City area.
