I-90 Car Fire: 6 Ways to Survive This Washington Summer Hazard

Do you know what to do if your car catches fire on the road?

Get our free mobile app

Washington State Vehicle Fire Season

A truck and trailer were completely destroyed this weekend on I-90 after catching fire near Scenic View at milepost 140. The Washington State Patrol posted about the incident on their official Twitter account on Saturday morning around 8:45 am. The eastbound lane was closed for over an hour and the area suffered from low visibility from the smoke. The fire from the vehicle spread to the bushes in the ditch and to the surrounding countryside. There were no injuries in this incident but they were lucky because many people do die every year from vehicle fires, especially in the months of June, July, and August.

Vehicle Fires and Deaths in Washington State

You might be surprised to know that 19% of all fire-related deaths in 2021 were related to vehicle fires in Washington State. According to the American Safety Council, the summer months of June, July, and August have the highest rates of vehicle fires & deaths in the United States and Washington is no different. In 2021 alone, there were 650 people who died from vehicle fires in the United States, way up from a recent low of 280 back in 2016. Car fire deaths had steadily dropped in the 1980s from a high of 800 in 1988 down to 260 in 2009 but have increased greatly since 2016. So many people do not understand how quickly a fire can envelop a car once it is on fire and make mistakes sometimes causing their lives.