Update 4: Westbound and 1 eastbound lane of Interstate 94 near Dickinson opens; firefighters continue to work on blaze

Grass fire — Press Photo by April Baumgarten Dickinson area firefighters stop Thursday on Interstate 94 and get ready to fight the rekindled fire from Wednesday about five miles east of Dickinson. Law enforcement closed the interstate and is directing traffic to Highway 10.

By Dickinson Press Staff

March 21, 2012 at 10:33 PM

The westbound lane and one of the eastbound lanes of Interstate 94 in the Dickinson area are open as of about 3 this afternoon.

A grass fire was headed toward the major travel way and smoke caused low visibility earlier, forcing law enforcement to close both lanes of the major travel way from Dickinson to Gladstone. The fire is a rekindle from a Wednesday fire that left the landscape black.

North Dakota State Patrol Sgt. Dan Haugen said the interstate was closed at about 11:40 a.m. today.

Stark County Emergency Manager Bill Fahlsing said it was "closed due to smoke."

Firefighters were working to keep the fire south of I-94.

Multiple fire stations and the U.S. Forest Service were on-scene. Many firefighters spent the night in fields east of Dickinson to keep an eye on hot spots due to a fire that swept the area. About 50 homes were notified to evacuate Wednesday.

Check back to The Press website for updates and see Friday's paper for more on the story.

Update 4: Westbound and 1 eastbound lane of Interstate 94 near Dickinson opens; firefighters continue to work on blaze

The westbound lane and one of the eastbound lanes of Interstate 94 in the Dickinson area are open as of about 3 this afternoon. A grass fire was headed toward the major travel way and smoke caused low visibility earlier, forcing law enforcement t...