Grass fire near interstate forces I-405 closure
PORTLAND, Ore. – Firefighters put out a grass fire along Interstate 5 Saturday.
The fire started just after 12:30 p.m. along northbound I-5, firefighters said. A nearby construction crew working with a cutting torch caused the fire.
Part of Interstate 405 was shut down while fire crews contained the fire. It was reopened later Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters said the construction crew took proper precautions, which included a water supply, but the dry grass and windy conditions spread the fire faster than they could contain it.
The fire burned about 10,000 square feet, firefighters said.
A red flag warning is in effect through the weekend. A burn ban remains in effect in Portland. All outdoor burning is prohibited with the exception of charcoal or gas barbecues.
"The fire burned about 10,000 square feet, firefighters said."
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Now that's a serious fire. They could have made it more dramatic by saying it burned 1.44 million sq inches. If they had said it burned 1/5th of a acre that would sound like nothing and in reality is was nothing.