A range fire on the Yakima Training Center on Saturday evening quickly spread across more than 15,000 acres and jumped State Route 24, prompting evacuations on both sides of Rattlesnake Ridge. Firefighters were expected to be on the lines through the night while trying to bring the blaze under control. The resulting smoke plume was visible across many parts of Central Washington. The Training Center fire department called in numerous additional resources, including a C-130 aircraft that can be used for large retardant drops. The cause of the fire was not immediately available, but weather forecasters had said fire conditions — including high winds — would be dangerous through Saturday night. Several other fires were reported Friday night and Saturday in the Lower Valley. A command post representative said the Training Center fire prompted evacuations of a few homes along State Route 24 and the southern border of the Training Center. On the south side of Rattlesnake Ridge, on the opposite side of the highway, Lower Valley firefighters were called out to attack the fire after it jumped the highway and began threatening an estimated 50 homes along the ridge between State Route 241 and North Outlook Road.