Encampment fire burns for hours along I-5 in Olympia before crews extinguish it
Aug 24, 2026, 11:50 AM | Updated: 3:25 pm
A side-by-side photo of the encampment fire in Olympia. (Photo courtesy of the Washington State Patrol)
(Photo courtesy of the Washington State Patrol)
A fire broke out overnight in an encampment off northbound I-5 in Olympia and burned for roughly two hours before it was extinguished.
At approximately 9 p.m., Olympia troopers and the Olympia and Tumwater fire departments responded to the scene between the ramp from US 101 onto northbound I-5 and the Capitol Boulevard overpass, according to The Olympian.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Kameron Watts said a few trees in the area caught fire, but the fire did not spread further.
Overnight, Olympia Troopers responded with Olympia Fire to an encampment fire on northbound I-5 at milepost 104.
A few trees were ablaze but thankfully the spread of the fire was brought to a stop. No injuries were reported. pic.twitter.com/anTDnXGibK
— Trooper Kameron Watts (@wspd1pio) August 24, 2026
Several Olympia Fire Department (OFD) units responded and found a fast-moving fire that had spread into the trees above Capitol Lake.
OFD laid down more than 1,000 feet of hose to combat the steep terrain, lack of access, and potentially dangerous situation for firefighters to go in on foot. The lengthy hose allowed crews to utilize the aerial master stream to reach the fire and successfully put it out.
Fire crews cleared the roadway around 12:30 a.m., but noted there was still a large amount of water on the roadway that made conditions slippery.
“Shout out to Washington State Patrol for their support in blocking and mitigating traffic to keep us safe,” the fire department stated.
Tumwater Fire Chief Brian Hurley told The Olympian that crews extinguished the fire by 11:25 p.m. and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
No injuries were reported as a result of the encampment fire.
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