PENDLETON — A fire started near Stage Gulch Road and Airport Road in Pendleton and forced officials to briefly shut down a section of Interstate 84 on Saturday, June 26.

The Pendleton Fire Department responded to a report at 2:29 p.m. that a fire was burning north of Stage Gulch and Barnhart roads, according to Captain Stephen Brost of the Pendleton Fire Department. The fire later spread toward I-84, which prompted officials to close down the freeway.

The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office also briefly closed down Airport Road during the fire, according to Lt. Sterrin Ward.

Multiple officials confirmed at around 4:30 p.m. that the fire was starting to be contained as officials reopened I-84, though the fire hadn’t been fully extinguished at that time.

It is so far unclear to officials how the fire started and how big it is, Brost said. The fire burned in standing wheat, and gusts of wind contributed to its spread, Brost said.

The fire nearly forced people to evacuate from three homes along Stage Gulch Road, Ward said, but firefighters moved quickly to protect the homes and no evacuations were necessary.

Firefighters were dispatched from the Echo Rural Fire Department, Pendleton Fire Department, Umatilla Tribal Fire Department, Pilot Rock Rural Fire Protection District, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Umatilla Fire District 1, according to Brost. The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation also provided assistance.