Wildfires Disrupt Major Roads Across the U.S. and Canada

Wildfires across the western United States and Canada continue to disrupt ground transportation, causing road closures, evacuations, heavy smoke, emergency response activity, and rapidly changing travel conditions.

California and British Columbia currently have some of the most significant disruptions for truck drivers and commercial vehicle operators.

In Northern California, the MP18 Fire has indefinitely closed a section of State Route 96, while in British Columbia, the massive Bald Range Fire has forced thousands of people to evacuate and affected Highway 97, one of the Okanagan’s major north-south corridors.

Washington, meanwhile, has seen some improvement. State Route 291, which was closed for more than a week because of the Spokane Complex fires, has reopened between Spokane and Suncrest. Drivers are still being urged to use caution because of firefighters, damaged trees, and possible visibility problems.

For truck drivers, fleet owners, and dispatchers, the problem does not necessarily end when a highway is listed as “open.” A wildfire can still cause traffic restrictions, checkpoints, detours, long backups, reduced speeds, or sudden closures because of smoke, shifting winds, or new evacuation orders.

California: SR-96 remains closed because of the MP18 Fire

The most significant wildfire-related road disruption in California is currently on State Route 96 (SR-96) in the northern part of the state.

The MP18 Fire began Friday, August 7, in the Hoopa Valley area and is burning through mountainous terrain between Weitchpec and Hoopa in Humboldt County.

The fire directly affected SR-96, a highway that runs through the region along the Trinity River corridor.

A section of SR-96 remains closed indefinitely because of the MP18 Fire.

For truck drivers traveling through this area, this is the key point: this is not simply a smoke advisory or precautionary warning. There is an active closure, and drivers need to check alternate routes before entering the corridor.

The geography makes the situation more difficult. SR-96 crosses mountainous areas and remote communities where detour options are limited, meaning bypassing the closure can add considerable distance to a trip.

Even after fire activity decreases, reopening a wildfire-damaged highway requires inspections. Authorities must check for unstable trees, pavement damage, loose rocks, damaged utility poles, and slopes that could send debris onto the roadway.

Drivers should check the latest SR-96 conditions on Caltrans QuickMap before traveling through the area.

California: I-5 was closed but has reopened

A second wildfire-related situation in California may cause confusion because reports from the first hours of the fire are still circulating.

It involves Interstate 5 (I-5) in the Gorman and Grapevine area.

The Ridge Fire began Friday, August 7, near Gorman Post Road and advanced toward I-5, one of the West Coast’s most important freight corridors.

The fire temporarily forced authorities to close both directions of the same interstate in the area. Northbound traffic was stopped at Smokey Bear Road, while southbound traffic was halted at Frazier Mountain Park Road.

The situation has since changed.

I-5 has reopened and is no longer closed because of the Ridge Fire as of August 11.

That distinction matters because posts and reports published when the emergency began may continue appearing in search results and on social media, creating the impression that the interstate remains blocked.

Although I-5 is open again, drivers traveling through the area should remain alert for smoke, emergency vehicles, and possible temporary restrictions.

Any disruption on this corridor can have a major impact on commercial transportation. I-5 connects Southern California with the Central Valley and continues north through Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. A closure in the Grapevine area can quickly create major truck backups and require significantly longer alternate routes.

British Columbia: Highway 97 affected by the Bald Range Fire

In Canada, one of the most important situations for transportation is in British Columbia, particularly in the Okanagan region.

The Bald Range Fire grew rapidly in recent days and forced thousands of people to evacuate communities including Summerland and Peachland.

For transportation, the main concern is Highway 97.

The highway is one of the Okanagan’s primary north-south corridors, connecting communities including Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland, and Penticton.

During the emergency, Highway 97 experienced closures and restrictions in areas affected by the wildfire and evacuations.

Unlike SR-96 in California, where there is a clearly identified closure, conditions along Highway 97 should be considered dynamic.

A section may reopen and later face new restrictions if the fire changes direction, smoke becomes heavier, or authorities need the highway for evacuation operations.

Thousands of residents have also been forced to leave affected communities. As a result, a highway may technically be open while experiencing significant delays because of evacuation traffic, police checkpoints, firefighters, and emergency vehicles.

Truck drivers traveling toward Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland, or Penticton should check Highway 97 immediately before entering the Okanagan.

The official source for current highway conditions in British Columbia is DriveBC.

What about Highway 1 and Highway 3?

Other major highways in British Columbia, particularly Highway 1 and Highway 3, have also experienced wildfire-related closures this season.

However, those incidents should not be confused with the current situation affecting Highway 97.

During July, wildfires in Fraser Canyon forced the closure of Highway 1 near Boston Bar. Highway 3 was also closed east of Hope, temporarily making Highway 5 — the Coquihalla — one of the main alternatives into the Southern Interior.

Those closures were associated with earlier wildfire incidents.

They should therefore not automatically be reported as highways that remain closed on August 11.

This is an important issue for truck drivers during an active wildfire season: information may have been accurate when originally published but become outdated within hours or days.

Before changing a route based on information found through search engines or social media, drivers should check the current status of Highway 1, Highway 3, Highway 5, and Highway 97 directly through DriveBC.

Washington: SR-291 has reopened

Conditions have improved in Washington.

The Spokane Complex fires caused evacuations and road closures during the first days of August. One of the routes most affected was State Route 291 (SR-291), which connects parts of Spokane with communities near Nine Mile Falls and Suncrest.

Sections of SR-291 remained closed for more than a week.

That has now changed.

SR-291 has reopened between Spokane and Suncrest.

Before reopening the highway, crews inspected slopes and used drones to identify potential hazards. They also removed fire-damaged trees that could fall onto the roadway.

However, reopening does not mean the entire corridor has immediately returned to normal conditions.

Truck drivers may still encounter emergency vehicles, firefighters entering and exiting side roads, roadside work, and areas affected by smoke.

Washington: US-97 at Blewett Pass is also open

Another Washington highway affected in recent days was US-97 at Blewett Pass.

The corridor experienced wildfire-related restrictions and, at certain points, operated under controlled traffic conditions.

Subsequent updates allowed normal traffic to resume.

Therefore, US-97 at Blewett Pass should not currently be described as closed because of wildfires.

Drivers should still use caution because emergency crews may continue working near the highway.

Washington: SR-155 reopened after the Kaiser Fire

Washington’s third significant reopening involves State Route 155 (SR-155) between Omak and Nespelem.

The highway had been closed for several weeks because of the Kaiser Fire, but reopened on August 6.

After traffic resumed, drivers were advised to travel at approximately 45 mph for about 30 miles through the affected corridor.

The reason is simple: a highway can reopen while hazards remain in the surrounding area.

Fire-damaged trees may fall, guardrails may still need repairs, and emergency crews may continue working alongside the roadway.

Drivers using SR-291, US-97, or SR-155 should check current conditions through the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) before traveling.

Ontario: Active wildfires, but no confirmed closures on Highway 527 and Highway 811

Ontario is also experiencing an active wildfire season, particularly across the northern part of the province.

However, the highway situation requires some clarification.

Earlier reports mentioned wildfire-related closures on Highway 527 and Highway 811.

Current information from Ontario 511 does not confirm those highways as being under general emergency closures.

Therefore, it would not be accurate to report on August 11 that Highway 527 and Highway 811 remain closed because of wildfires.

That does not mean the region is free of risk.

Northwestern Ontario has vast forested areas and remote highways where conditions can change rapidly. Commercial drivers traveling through the region should check Ontario 511 before starting their trip.

Why can a reopened highway still be dangerous?

This is particularly important for truck drivers.

When a highway is listed as “open,” it means authorities have determined that traffic can resume. It does not necessarily mean the surrounding area has returned to the conditions that existed before the wildfire.

After a fire, drivers may encounter weakened trees along the roadway, damaged guardrails, burned utility poles, destroyed signs, unstable rocks, and compromised slopes. There may also be crews working along the shoulder, areas without normal lighting, and sections where smoke continues to reduce visibility.

In Washington, for example, crews had to remove hazardous trees before reopening SR-291.

Reduced speed limits, traffic controls, and repair work can therefore remain in place for days after a highway reopens.

Smoke can close a highway even when the fire is miles away

Flames do not have to reach the pavement to create an emergency.

For a tractor-trailer, smoke can become one of the most serious hazards.

Visibility can quickly drop from several hundred yards to only a few vehicles ahead. Because of a truck’s weight and stopping distance, a sudden loss of visibility can be particularly dangerous.

Wind conditions can also change within minutes and push smoke across a highway that was previously clear.

If authorities close a road because of smoke, drivers should not attempt to pass through the closure or automatically take a secondary road suggested by GPS.

Be careful with GPS detours

A navigation app may recognize that the main highway is closed and suggest a local road as an alternative.

That does not mean the route is suitable for a commercial vehicle.

Secondary roads may have weight-restricted bridges, tight curves, steep grades, low-clearance structures, or access points too narrow for a tractor-trailer.

A suggested detour could even lead into an evacuation area or closer to the wildfire.

When a major highway is closed because of a wildfire, commercial vehicle detours should be confirmed using official transportation agency information.

A wildfire can disrupt Hours of Service

For trucking companies, a wildfire can completely change trip planning.

An unexpected closure may add several hours or hundreds of miles to a route.

A driver could be stopped before a checkpoint, forced to backtrack to another junction, or required to take a much longer alternate corridor.

All of this can affect Hours of Service (HOS), delivery schedules, and parking availability.

Before dispatching a truck toward an area with active wildfires, fleets should identify potential commercial-vehicle-safe alternate routes and safe places where the driver can stop if the highway closes again.

Fuel also needs to be part of the plan

An emergency detour may be considerably longer than expected.

Gas stations and fuel stops located inside evacuated communities may also temporarily close.

The same problem can affect parking and rest areas. When hundreds of trucks are diverted from a major interstate or highway, truck stops, rest areas, and parking facilities along alternate corridors can fill quickly.

Maintaining a larger fuel reserve than usual can be a sensible precaution when traveling near active wildfires.

An open highway can also become an evacuation route

There is another situation commercial drivers should consider: a highway can remain open while being used to evacuate a community.

When that happens, authorities may restrict certain access points, establish special checkpoints, or prioritize residents and emergency vehicles.

If a truck does not have an essential delivery inside the affected area, avoiding the corridor may be the safest option.

What truck drivers should check before leaving

Before dispatching a vehicle toward a wildfire-affected region, fleets should verify three separate pieces of information: road conditions, the location of the wildfire, and evacuation orders.

They do not always match.

A highway may be open while a nearby community remains under evacuation orders. Likewise, a wildfire may be relatively far from the pavement while smoke forces authorities to restrict traffic.

In California, road conditions should be checked through Caltrans QuickMap.

In Washington, check WSDOT.

In British Columbia, use DriveBC.

In Ontario, check Ontario 511.

Drivers and dispatchers should also use the appropriate official wildfire and emergency management agencies to track the location and behavior of active fires.

Checking before departure may not be enough

Wildfires are fundamentally different from construction projects or scheduled road closures because they can change highway conditions within minutes.

Winds can shift. A fire can move toward a transportation corridor. Smoke can cover a highway. A new evacuation order can force authorities to block access, or firefighters may need the highway to move emergency equipment.

For that reason, fleets should not check conditions only when the trip begins.

When it is safe to do so, conditions should be checked again as the truck approaches the affected region.

For a professional driver, the question should not simply be “Is the highway open?”

It should also be: “Is it still open, and what are the current driving conditions?”

For truck drivers, planning ahead can prevent getting stranded

Wildfires can quickly turn a routine trip into a much more complicated operation.

A closure can mean additional driving hours, detours, increased fuel consumption, changes to Hours of Service, missed delivery appointments, limited parking, or exposure to smoke and hazardous road conditions.

Planning should begin before entering the affected area.

Drivers must also respect all official road closures. A highway blocked because of a wildfire is not a traffic suggestion: it is a safety measure.

Even after a highway reopens, the effects of a wildfire can remain for days.

For truck drivers and fleet owners, staying informed is an essential part of managing risk. So is having the right insurance coverage to protect the truck, cargo, and operation against the unexpected hazards that can arise on the road.

At Saint George Insurance Brokerage, we help truckers and fleet owners protect their businesses and keep moving when unexpected situations arise.