Sunday, August 9, 2026 / Eugene
A smoky railroad trestle stopped trains and Highway 99 traffic
Creosote-treated timbers made Sunday’s brush fire visible across the area; the cause remained undetermined.
The smoke people saw near Beltline and Highway 99 Sunday morning came from a small railroad trestle — and its creosote-treated timbers made the fire look hard to miss.
Eugene Springfield Fire and Lane Fire Authority responded around 9:30 a.m. Union Pacific stopped trains at firefighters’ request. ODOT closed the northbound lanes and one southbound lane until about 1:30 p.m.
Crews put out the fire. Lane Fire Authority described the cause as undetermined in a reply reported by Lookout Eugene-Springfield.
Field notes
What changed: Fire crews extinguished a brush fire in a railroad trestle near Beltline and Highway 99 after temporary road and train closures.
Why it matters: The fire produced conspicuous smoke and disrupted a major road and rail corridor for several hours.
Who may be affected: Sunday travelers near Highway 99 and Beltline, along with rail traffic using the Union Pacific tracks.