Welcome to the Christmas Eve live travel blog.

We'll provide periodic updates on the road and pass conditions throughout the region as you head out for the holidays.

You can also check the latest conditions on the state Department of Transportation Web site.

We'll put the most recent information at the top of the posts below.

6:45 p.m.: Some congestion on the I-5 southbound through Tacoma, but it's still moving.

DOT workers are doing some road maintenance on northbound I-5 in Federal Way that is closing the HOV lane. Traffic cameras aren't showing any repercussions from the closed lane.

5 p.m.: Though there are people on the roads, no accidents or backups are slowing things down on I-5 anywhere between Everett and Portland. Things are a little crowded both directions through Olympia but clear up quickly.

4:57 p.m.: The right lane is blocked by a stalled vehicle on State Route 167 at the West Valley Highway.

3:52 p.m.: A stalled semi-truck is partially blocking the onramp from northbound 167 to southbound I-405.

3 p.m.: The highways are starting to fill up a bit. Moderate traffic is reported in parts of King County.

Traction tires continue to be required on Snoqualmie and White passes. On Stevens Pass, traction tires are still advised.

2:40 p.m.: Here's an afternoon report from DOT.

*Travel remains light on most urban Puget Sound highways.

*While tapering off in Seattle and Tacoma, the snow is still coming down in the South Puget Sound, Southwest Washington, North Olympic Peninsula, Cascade Mountains and Eastern Washington.

*WSDOT Avalanche Control crews may need to stop traffic on I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass for up to two hours between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m.

*The Port Townsend/Keystone Steilacoom II ferry 1:30 p.m. departure from Keystone was delayed 21 minutes due to high winds.

2:20 p.m.: A crash is blocking the left lane of northbound I-405 at State Route 522 near Bothell. It was previously blocking more lanes. One lane has been opened to traffic, the state DOT reported.

Troopers, firefighters and medical aid were on the scene.

12:30 p.m.: Another travel nugget from the AP:

A southbound semi-truck went into the median of Interstate-5 at Kelso, slid between northbound and southbound overpass bridges and crashed down on the street below into a retaining wall.

KLOG reports the driver was trapped for nearly an hour Wednesday and was taken to St. John Medical Center with serious injuries.

The wrecked truck also leaked fuel and closed Allen Street.

Noon: The highways continue to look good for travelers. Traffic thickens up here and there but the DOT traffic cameras are showing no major congestion through the Puget Sound region.

Highway 18 at the Tiger Summit has been an issue. There was an accident blocking all eastbound lanes at the Issaquah Hobart Road. That was reported at 11:35 a.m.

A disabled car was blocking the right lane of southbound Interstate 405 at Southeast Eighth Street.

As for the mountain passes, traction tires are now required to go over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 and White Pass. Chains are required for vehicles with more than 10,000 gross vehicle weight. Oversized vehicles are still prohibited.

Traction tires are advised for Stevens Pass.

The Associated Press reports the only highway to Neah Bay has been reopened. Crews have cleared one lane through a rockslide that covered Highway 112 on Monday.

10:49 a.m.: A diesel spill has been reported between southbound Interstate 5 and Interstate 705.

9:50 a.m.: The jack-knifed semi truck has been cleared and all lanes of State Route 599 are open to traffic.

9:20 a.m.: A jack-knifed semi truck is blocking the left lane of northbound State Route 599 in Seattle. This activity is just south of East Marginal Way.

Troopers are on the scene.

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Tacoma firefighters are at Point Defiance park fighting a brush fire north of Salmon Beach, according to emergency radio traffic.

They just asked police to close traffic to the Fort Nisqually area of the park.

Check back for continuing updates. (Photo sent in by reader Albert Eggers.)

Update: Fire boat Defiance is getting ready to spray water on the fire. Meanwhile, firefighters have been coming down the hill to try to attack it from the land.

Update 2: The fire boat is have trouble getting it's water pumps primed. Crews are preparing to attack the fire from the hill above if the boat can't get the water flowing.

Update 3: Sounds like the fire boat is having a hard time hitting the fire. The stream is falling about 50 feet short and the boat can't come any closer because of rocks, according to radio traffic.

Update 4: Now it sounds like the fire boat was able to hit some of it. They're talking about at least part of it being out. The big trick has been keeping the crews on the ground clear of getting hit by the spray from the boat. Before the boat sprays each time, they have to make sure all the firefighters are in a safe zone.

Update 5: Firefighters are asking the boat to shoot a stream of water straight in, rather than lobbing it up in an arc. Hopefully that will hit the spot where the fire was last smoldering. Sounds like it's mostly if not completely out.

Update 6: Ack! I was making another tweak and lost the original Update 6.

Just as fire boat Defiance was going to be put back in service, there was a call of another fire in the park. Firefighters have just found it. It was back up the road from where they were, but they had to go around because of the hose across the street. It's inland and on a hill, but small, according to radio traffic.

Also, I was hoping to have photos to post, but our photo editor told me that fire officials would not let our photographer get close enough.

Update 7 (final update): The other fire is tiny, about three feet square and mostly out, we hear. So that's it for this incident.

Update 8: The fire command has been terminated for both fires. Fire officials were asking on the radio about connecting with Tacoma Police investigators. At least one of the fires is apparently suspected of being set by human hands.