A planned fire that got out of control may be the cause of last week’s blaze that burned some 3,500 acres of grass and brush north of U.S. Highways 95/12 and the Clearwater River Casino.

Officials say the exact cause of the fire is unknown.

The fire started Thursday afternoon and was fueled by gusty winds. It jumped the northbound lanes of the highway in a stretch of the median near Coyote’s Fishnet and Lower Hog Island, closing the highway for several hours. The casino, an RV park, and some homes were evacuated. An older abandoned home was destroyed and several homes were threatened, but no injuries were reported.