A wildfire sparked by the fatal crash of a small medical plane in New Mexico has triggered evacuations for a rural area north of the Capitan Mountains and closures in the Lincoln National Forest.

The massive Canyon Fire tearing through the El Paso Mountains south of Ridgecrest has taken a heartbreaking turn, as the family of a California pilot identified their loved one as a victim of the suspected plane crash that ignited the blaze Thursday.

The FAA listed the circumstances of the Nevada crash as unknown. The Owyhee County firefighter was piloting a plane registered in his name.

Monday’s Top Stories Monday’s Five Facts [1] Officials provide update on Seven Cabins Fire after winds drive growth in fire size – A fire is growing rapidly in Lincoln County, almost tripling in size since Saturday night,

A small medical plane crashed in a mountain range outside Ruidoso, New Mexico, killing all four people aboard and sparking a wildfire in the surrounding forest.

Family, friends and fellow firefighters remember Ed Dickman and his wife Sherry for decades of service, leadership and community support in Owyhee County.

The Seven Cabins Fire grew to more than 12,000 acres over the weekend – increasing more than 10-fold between Saturday and Sunday. The fire was sparked on Thursday, May 14 when a medical plane flying from Roswell International Airport to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport in Ruidoso crashed in the Capitan Mountains Wilderness Area,