A Cessna 182 heading from Oroville to Spokane with two people aboard crashed and sparked the fire that spread to the Canadian border, officials said.
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The crash site was discovered as firefighters were responding to several fires that popped up Thursday afternoon.
Rogers said several units are in the area to “determine exactly what has happened”, he said.
UPDATE 8:50, Thursday: According to the Washington Department of Natural Resources, the fire is more than 3,500 acres. Investigators aren’t sure what caused the other fires or if they are related.
People are asked to stay clear of the area about five miles east of Oroville.
Fire-related trail and road closures are also in effect on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.
One person is confirmed dead in the plane crash on Rise Road (off Chesaw Road), Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said.
“There’s no tail numbers or anything because the plane was destroyed in the fire”, said Rogers.
An evacuation shelter has been set up at Oroville High School.
Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the wreckage of a small aircraft found in north-central Washington by crews responding to wildfires in the area.
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Additional details were not immediately available.
