Firefighters work on dry grass blazes in M’ville (slide show)

MARYSVILLE – Firefighters were trying to control a number of small dry grass fires off I-5 starting at about 1:30 p.m. today (June 30).

June 30, 2015 5:04 pm
Firefighters from Fire District 17 hose down a dry grass fire on the offramp at I-5 going on to Fourth Street in Marysville about 1:30 this afternoon (June 30). Flames shot up as high as 20 feet in nearby trees for a short period of time. Cause of the fire was unknown.
Firefighters from Fire District 17 hose down a dry grass fire on the offramp at I-5 going on to Fourth Street in Marysville about 1:30 this afternoon (June 30). Flames shot up as high as 20 feet in nearby trees for a short period of time. Cause of the fire was unknown.

MARYSVILLE – Firefighters were trying to control a number of small dry grass fires off I-5 starting at about 1:30 p.m. today (June 30).

The Washington State Patrol suspects arson and was looking for two men in their 50s with light-colored hair, trooper Heather Axtman told The Daily Herald in Everett. They were in a Hyundai Sonata. Anyone with information is asked to call 9-1-1.

Both directions of I-5 were backed up because of sometimes heavy smoke. A number of vehicle accidents occurred, according to scanner reports. Drivers were urged to take detours.

Every Marysville fire rig was deployed, Fire Marshal Tom Maloney said. The half-dozen or so fires in his district all were extinguished by 2:30 p.m. But flare-ups continued in other areas.

Earlier, a semi truck with a 300-gallon fuel tank caught fire at Donna’s Truck Stop on 116th.

Firefighters from Fire District 17 were on scene at one of the blazes, on the northbound offramp at Fourth Street going into Marysville. Flames shot up as high as 20 feet at times on some of the trees before firefighters arrived.