Interstate 30 was closed Thursday morning between Garland and Rowlett after a utility pole caught fire.
Officials closed the highway at about 10:15 a.m. between Horizon Road in Rockwall and Chaha Road in Garland over concerns the power lines may drop onto the highway.
The fire on the power pole, near I-30 and Dalrock Road, was put out.
Power to the line was cut off so that the the fire could be extinguished, cutting service to about 1,300 customers in the area, Oncor Electric Delivery said.
Power was restored to a handful of businesses around the intersection by late evening.
The pole had burned through and snapped, cutting power in the area. Tension kept the power lines from falling.
The interstate reopened at about 11:30 a.m. The traffic backup added a lot of time to travel times for people around the lake.
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Nydia Rodriguez, who works at a restaurant near I-30 and Dalrock Road, said her 15-minute commute took 45 minutes.
"I mean, everything was closed just to get to work," she said. "Everyone was late."
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The National Weather Service reports that some counties south of the Metroplex reported utility pole fires Thursday morning. The NWS said a possible cause of the fires could be related to the recent dry spell, which allowed dirt to build up on the power lines. The dirt then could have mixed with moisture from Thursday's fog, allowing short circuits to form. The short circuits could then cause the lines to spark and catch fire.
But Oncor said Thursday afternoon that the Central Texas power line fires were not related to the one in Garland, saying it doesn't believe fog played a role in starting the fire.
NBC 5's Kendra Lyn and Ray Villeda contributed to this report.
