Brush fires impact rush-hour commute on I-695 in Essex area
BALTIMORE -- Brush fires in Baltimore County impacted rush-hour commutes along I-695 on Wednesday.
Traffic on the Beltway's inner loop, in the Essex area, at Route 702 was backed up, according to fire officials.
BCoFD o/s in the #Rosedale area, along the @Amtrak & @CSX lines, for two brush fires. 8-10 acres affected. No injuries reported; no structures affected. Motorists should avoid I-695 inner loop at 702; major delays. Fire operations expected to continue for several hours. EA pic.twitter.com/UwqByRJfPB
— Baltimore County Fire Department (@BaltCoFire) April 12, 2023
Fire crews said two brush fires burned 8 to 10 acres along the Amtrak and CSX train tracks.
"The smoke was filling my backyard, so I was a little concerned how close it was going to get to my house," Baltimore County resident Tyler Rivers said.
Rivers had his windows open to enjoy the good weather. He decided to walk outside after smelling smoke. That's when he noticed a bunch of police officers and fire engines.
Train service was temporarily suspended in the area of the fires, but that service later resumed.
While the fire was contained, fire crews worked several "hotspots" in the area.
The National Weather Service had issued a "Red Flag Warning" in the area until 8 p.m., whi.ch means extremely low humidity and gusty winds increased the chance of fast-spreading fires.
These types of fire conditions are common around this time of the year, according to fire officials.
"When conditions are this dry and you have some wind on top of it, it means any kind of a spark can ignite and cause a brush fire a wildfire to spread very quickly," Baltimore County Fire Department spokesperson Elise Armacost said.