Brush Fire Snarls I-94 Traffic, State Of Emergency Declared

WAUKESHA COUNTY, WI — Unusually dry weather recently caused a brush fire in Waukesha County Tuesday, snarling traffic on an unseasonably warm day.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the two right westbound lanes on I-94 at Elm Grove Road were closed Tuesday afternoon due to a brush fire.

Severe delays of 3.7 miles were reported, and a travel time of 51 minutes from I-94 at 84th Street until Elm Grove Road was reported. When traffic is moving normally, that same drive is about eight to ten minutes, according to Google maps.

By mid-evening, the lane closures were lifted as fire crews managed to quell the flames.

The same day, Gov. Scott Walker signed an executive order, declaring a state of emergency in Wisconsin due to wildfire conditions in the state.

"We are taking a precautionary measure in order to protect our state,” said Governor Walker. “By taking this step we are ensuring that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has the tools to combat the spread of any wildfires. We appreciate the tireless efforts of the DNR, the Wisconsin National Guard, and Wisconsin Emergency Management in working together to protect Wisconsin families.”

The National Weather Service issued Red Flag Warnings for portions of the State of Wisconsin on both Sunday, April 29, 2018, and Monday, April 30, 2018. Out of concern that these conditions may continue, the Governor has declared a State of Emergency in order to give the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources additional resources if these conditions continue.

This executive order was issued in response to a number of brush fires across Wisconsin - even before Monday's incident in Waukesha County. 43 wildfires have been reported around Wisconsin by the Department of Natural Resources over the weekend alone.

Image Via Department of Transportation Traffic Camera