The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office ordered residents of Vantage WA to leave immediately on Wednesday after a rapidly moving wildfire pushed the city into a Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation order. Interstate 90 also closed in both directions, cutting off a major travel route through the area.
Vantage Highway and Exit 115
Vantage Highway was closed at Parke Creek Road because of the fire. On Interstate 90, eastbound traffic was stopped at Exit 115 in Kittitas County, while westbound traffic was closed in Grant County.
The evacuation order applied to the city of Vantage, and authorities urged residents to leave the area immediately. That left drivers and people in the town dealing with the same fire at the same time, with one route blocked by the highway closure and another blocked by the interstate closure.
Kittitas County Sheriff updates
The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office said it would continue to provide updates as the situation develops. The fire's size at the time of the closures was not stated, and the closures were still in place when the order was issued.
For residents of Vantage, the immediate step is to follow the Level 3 order and move out of the area. For drivers, the practical route change is already in place on Interstate 90 and Vantage Highway, leaving no through access at the points named by the sheriff's office.
