Military plane crash sparks wildfire in Yakima County, WA
YAKIMA, Wash. - Emergency crews descended on a forested area in Yakima County, Washington on Saturday afternoon following a crash of a military aircraft. Campers at Rimrock Lake were evacuated by first responders as local law enforcement began road closures.
What we know:
The pilot was able to eject before the crash and has been transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment and assessment, according to the Naches Fire Department (NFD).
The plane went down near Rimrock Lake, which is about halfway between Mt. Rainier National Park and Yakima. This sparked a wildfire in the area. NFD reports that their crews have responded to the flames and worked to save buildings from spreading fire.
Naches Fire Department shares photos from the crash site and wildfire in Yakima County, Washington after a military aircraft went down on June 13, 2026.
By 4:45 p.m., NFD confirmed campers were being evacuated by local agencies as the 1200 Road system on the south side of Rimrock was shut down.
The protection of Bear Creek Cabins from the fire was completed by around 4 p.m. on June 13. Air support crews continued attacking the fire into the evening, in addition to at least one fire engine ground crew from the U.S. Forest Service at Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
Representatives with the fire department say the firefighting crews will likely return on Sunday to mop up the site and prevent reignition in the area.
What we don't know:
Official figures of the size of the fire or burned areas have not been confirmed, nor have reports of what kind of military aircraft crashed on Saturday.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Naches Fire Department Facebook updates page.