In brief: Pilot found dead in fiery plane wreckage

A small plane plummeted to the ground Thursday afternoon in rural Okanogan County, catching fire and killing the pilot who was alone inside, officials said.

Okanogan County sheriff’s deputies and firefighters found the fiery wreckage on Rise Road, about 8 miles east of Oroville, while responding to four other brush fires in the area, Sheriff Frank Rogers said. Investigators aren’t sure what caused the other fires or if they are related.

Rogers said the fire burned off identifying marks that were on the plane, so investigators aren’t sure where the plane took off or where it was headed. They reported the crash to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board and were calling local airports to determine the plane’s origin, Rogers said.

Kettle Crest trails closed because of fire

A wildfire has closed several trails in the Kettle Crest area, a popular destination on the Colville National Forest.

The Kettle Crest, Taylor and Stickpin trails are closed, and the Forest Service was anticipating closing additional trails near the Stickpin fire, which grew from 300 to 2,000 acres on Thursday afternoon, said Franklin Pemberton, an agency spokesman.

The Stickpin fire is burning south of Profanity Peak in Ferry County. Lightning from Tuesday’s storm is believed to have started the blaze.

Fire-related trail and road closures are also in effect on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The 995-acre Parker Ridge Fire near Bonners Ferry has closed both the Parker Ridge and Fisher Peak trails.

On the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District, the North Grizzly and Bennett Peak fires have closed several forest service roads and trails.