ROANE COUNTY, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Transportation said a grass fire disrupted traffic in Roane County on Tuesday.
The department said it was reported on I-40 West near Buttermilk Road, blocking the right lane and the right shoulder. It was reported at around 2:11 p.m. on Tuesday and backed up traffic to near Highway 321.
Later that night, TDOT said the grass fire was cleared and the lane was no longer blocked.
Additional information about the grass fire and its cause was not immediately available. This story will be updated when more information is available.
State forestry leaders put much of East Tennessee in a "high" fire risk on Tuesday. At a "high" fire risk, all fine dead fuels — like grass, leaves or pine needles — can readily ignite and fires can start easily from most causes like dropping lit cigarettes or allowing a campfire to get out of control.
Less than a half-inch of rain fell in East Tennessee during September, and October saw around 0.63 inches of rain. Both months combined to create the driest two months in the history of East Tennessee.
People should avoid burning anything outside while the fire risk is high without authorization. The National Weather Service also warned that Wednesday could bring an "elevated fire risk" to most of East Tennessee due to breezy conditions and low relative humidity.