Brush Fire Burns Up Maryhill Grade, Threatens Highway 14 Junction

Jun 19

Written By Columbia Community Connection

Photo from Columbia Gorge Wildland & Fire Information Facebook

By Joshuah Albert

Maryhill, Wash., June 19, 2026 — Firefighters from multiple agencies responded Friday morning to a rapidly growing brush fire burning uphill from the base of the Maryhill Grade on the Washington side of the Columbia River near the Biggs Junction bridge crossing.

The fire was first reported at 10:28 a.m. and was quickly moving uphill toward the intersection of state highways 14 and 97, according to emergency radio traffic and dispatch reports.

By 10:35 a.m., crews reported the fire was pushing up the steep grade toward the highway junction. Deputies were dispatched along Gore Road to notify nearby residents of the advancing fire.

Additional resources were requested within minutes as the blaze continued to grow. Rural 7 Fire District, Goldendale Fire Department, Centerville Fire Department, Lyle Fire Department and Wishram Fire Department were all called for mutual aid. The Washington Department of Natural Resources was also requested, along with air support and a bulldozer to assist with containment efforts.

At 10:44 a.m., firefighters reported working to protect at least one structure threatened by the fire. By 10:47 a.m., responders determined the most effective access to the fire was from the top of the grade, with law enforcement assisting crews in reaching the area.

At 10:52 a.m., radio reports indicated the fire was nearing the crest of the hill below Highway 14. Additional mutual-aid resources continued to arrive throughout the morning.

Weather conditions at the time of the fire included temperatures around 81 degrees, relative humidity near 26 percent and light winds of about 3 mph. Despite relatively modest wind speeds, dry vegetation and low humidity can allow grass and brush fires to spread rapidly on steep terrain.

No evacuation orders had been announced as of late Friday morning, and no injuries were immediately reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area and to keep drones away from firefighting operations. Unauthorized drone flights can force aircraft supporting fire suppression efforts to be grounded, hampering response efforts during critical early stages of a wildfire.

CCCNews will continue to update this story as additional information becomes available.