Pilot survives fighter jet crash, wildfire erupts near Rimrock Lake

A fighter jet crashed into a mountain near Rimrock Lake and turned a routine training flight into a wildfire emergency within minutes, sending a pilot to the hospital and forcing evacuations in the surrounding forest. The F/A-18 Hornet, assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, went down Saturday around noon in Yakima County, about 55 miles southeast of Seattle.

The pilot safely ejected before impact and was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries, according to first responders and the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office. Marine Corps officials described the crash as a “non-fatal aviation mishap” during routine training. The cause was under investigation and officials said it could take months to determine what happened.

The crash sparked the Pine Tree Fire near Rimrock Lake, north of the lake and close to Forest Road 1241 on the south side of the water. By late Saturday afternoon, the blaze had grown to roughly 1.5 to 2 acres, with no immediate estimate for containment. Firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service and the Washington Department of Natural Resources worked the scene with air support and at least one engine from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Authorities closed road access on the south side of Rimrock Lake and evacuated campers from nearby campgrounds as crews worked to keep the fire from spreading. Bear Creek Cabins were also protected while responders tried to hold the line around the fire in steep terrain and dry forest conditions.

Rimrock Lake is a 2,546-acre reservoir along Highway 12, about 10 miles east of White Pass, in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The area draws dispersed and established campers, hikers, backpackers, snow sports users and Pacific Crest Trail travelers, which made the crash landing zone and the fire response especially sensitive for public safety officials.

The incident also highlighted how quickly a military training operation can intersect with wildfire risk in the Northwest. Washington Department of Natural Resources says about 85% of wildfires in the state’s state and private forests are human-caused, and about 52% of those are negligently or intentionally started, a reminder that even a relatively small fire can become a serious emergency when it begins in a heavily used forest corridor.