Pine Tree Fire F-18 Crash 2026

On the morning of July 13, 2026, U.S. military aircraft were conducting training flights over the Naches Ranger District on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. During this training, the pilot of a Marine F/A-18 Jet ejected from the aircraft.

The ejected pilot parachuted to the ground relatively unharmed as his suddenly unmanned aircraft crashed into a forested mountainside above Rimrock Lake, a popular recreation area. Upon impact, the unburned jet fuel onboard exploded with a highly visible ball of fire and thick, dark smoke. This jet fuel fire spread to the adjacent wildland fuels, instantly creating a one-half-acre wildland fire, the Pine Tree Fire.

Over the next few days, local resources respond to the small fire, balancing fire suppression with potential hazmat avoidance. Alternative strategies were continually discussed as resources tried to determine the best strategy and tactics for an unusual and complex response.