Continues to burn structures
The line of traffic heading westbound on Highway 904 stretches clear through town. Eventually, traffic is looped around to head back east until drivers can make their way to Highway 2 in order to travel west.
CHENEY – Traffic has been lined up for hours throughout the city as the Gray Fire continues to burn near Interstate 90.
Currently, the fire is most active in the Salnave area west of Cheney and in the Tyler area.
Smoke, and actively burning fires have forced the continued closure of both the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-90, so traffic is being filed through Cheney from both sides.
The interstate is closed at Sprague for eastbound travelers and Geiger for folks trying to go west. Eastbound traffic is being detoured from Sprague, through Edwall to Reardan, and then east onto U.S. Highway 2 into Airway Heights.
State Highway 904, also known as First Street, has been backed up both directions in Cheney from the Four Lakes area south to Salnave Road.
Eastbound traffic was allowed to come through Tyler, but westbound drivers are being looped back into Cheney and onto eastbound 904.
The fire has destroyed 185 structures at last update and consumed between 8,000 and 9,500 acres, according to this morning's update (Saturday, Aug. 19).
A Type II Incident Management Team is scheduled to arrive today to manage the fire, according to Erik Keller, state Department of Natural Resources spokesman.
That team takes over management at 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 20.
This evening, the fire will continue to be managed by the state.
Keller said they will continue to provide updates on the fire and evacuation notices, but can't specifically say when people who evacuated can go home.
"We want people to get back into their homes when they can do it safely," Keller said.
A social media hashtag, #grayfire, has been set up for those who access information via social media.
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