A homeless encampment caught fire Tuesday morning along state Highway 500 near Andresen Road, and flames spread to nearby grass and trees.
The Vancouver Fire Department responded at 8:10 a.m. to the vegetation fire. As crews approached they could see a large plume of dark smoke rising from the side of the highway.
Firefighters arrived to find the camp on fire, along with other belongings and debris, according to fire department spokesman Bryan Fredrickson.
Nine units responded, and it took crews a few hours to extinguish the blaze, Fredrickson said. Traffic was also diverted around the Andresen exit for a few hours.
