A westbound tractor-trailer truck loaded with roofing materials and tar caught on fire Thursday morning on the Trans-Canada Highway, just west of the Vedder River in Abbotsford.
Dave Rivett, assistant chief with Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service, said crews were called to the scene just after 10 a.m.
When they arrived, the truck was engulfed in flames and the trailer units were threatened, but crews were able to put out the blaze.
"If the trailers had become involved, this fire would have been difficult to extinguish and could have created considerable environment damage," Rivett said.
The blaze started a small grass fire, which was a concern because of the dry conditions, but fire crews were able to extinguish it before it became a major issue.
There were no injuries, but the truck was a write-off, Rivett said. The cause of the fire is not known.
A total of 12 firefighters fought the blaze, and both the RCMP and Abbotsford Police Department also attended.
Westbound traffic was reduced to one lane for about an hour, and traffic in both directions was at a crawl.