A tall column of smoke rose over the SR‑509 corridor Wednesday night as firefighters attacked a brush fire on a steep hillside between Myers Way at S 101st Street and southbound Highway 509. Drivers on the freeway and neighbors in nearby communities reported spotting the plume climbing from the slope.
According to the West Seattle Blog, a traffic camera aimed south over SR‑509 captured the smoke and showed flames on a slope just south of the Seattle city‑limit line. The outlet reported that Seattle Fire and King County units were dispatched, and that a West Seattle engine remained on scene to assist.
Where It Happened
The fire burned on a slope below Myers Way S, roughly between S 101st Street and the southbound SR‑509 lanes near the Cloverdale overpass, in an area that straddles the Seattle city edge and North Highline/White Center. While crews responded, the smoke was visible on SR‑509 traffic‑camera feeds. That camera location appears on state and third‑party traffic‑camera pages, including WeatherBug.
Response
Seattle Fire and King County units were reported on scene working to contain the hillside fire and keep it from spreading to the freeway or nearby parcels. The West Seattle Blog noted that a West Seattle engine stayed at the site while crews worked the slope and watched for hotspots. At the time of that update, officials had not yet released a formal statement.
Local Context
The Myers Way parcels and the greenbelt below SR‑509 have been the focus of cleanup work and outreach in recent years, and neighbors have repeatedly raised concerns about trash, encampments, and fire risk on the steep hillside below the road, local coverage shows. Community reporting has documented past sweeps and cleanup efforts around the Cloverdale/509 ramps; see White Center Now for background. Local officials and fire crews typically follow up on hillside fires to evaluate the cause and any needed hazard‑mitigation steps.
This story will be updated if the Seattle Fire Department or King County release additional details or safety advisories. If you witnessed the incident and have information, contact local authorities or the King County non‑emergency line. Call 911 if the fire is still active.
