A wildfire that has scorched more than 28,000 acres in Central Washington started at a construction site where a Ridgefield company was working, officials said.
The Washington Department of Transportation hired Conway Construction in April to replace the deck of the Taylor Bridge on Highway 10 near Cle Elum. A fire sparked at the construction site Monday afternoon while crews were working to place rebar and steel girders on the site, said Todd Trepanier, WSDOT assistant regional administrator for construction, maintenance and operations.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.
About 840 firefighters were called out to help contain the wind-driven blaze near Ellensburg. As of Thursday morning, it was 25 percent contained.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is investigating the fire, said Bryan Flint, communications director for the agency. The fire’s origin is related to the construction activity but no further information will be released until the investigation is complete, Flint said.
