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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Drones interfere with California wildfire efforts

From staff reports
The U.S. Forest Service and other agencies are telling people not to fly drones near wildfires after unauthorized aircraft disrupted firefighting efforts in southern California. Air tanker operations were suspended on two fires burning on the San Bernardino National Forest this week after drones flown by private citizens were detected in the fire areas. If drones are discovered near a wildfire, “we will stop air tankers from dropping fire retardant, helicopters from dropping water, and other aerial firefighting aircraft from performing wildfire suppression missions,” said Steve Gage, an official at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise. “Unfortunately, this could decrease the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations, allowing wildfires to grow larger, and in some cases, unduly threaten lives and property, but firefighter and public safety are our top priorities in wildfire management.” Air tankers and helicopters fly at low altitudes, often just a couple of hundred feet above the ground. That creates the potential for collisions with drones, which are subject to flight restrictions during wildfires, officials said. People interfering with wildfire suppression efforts can be subject to civil penalties and criminal prosecution, officials said.