Officials warn against flying drones near area wildfires

Government officials are asking drone operators to stay away from no-fly zones surrounding area wildfires after several incidents have disrupted firefighting operations.

Aerial firefighting operations on the Rice Ridge Fire near Seeley Lake were suspended for 15-20 minutes Aug. 2 after a local resident spotted a drone being flown in the area.

According to officials, the man flying the drone was identified, but not arrested, but he will likely be charged with interfering with the efforts of firefighters attempting to extinguish a fire.

It is a federal offense to fly a drone in restricted air space around a fire. If an individual is found to have interfered with wildfire suppression efforts, they may be subject to fines of up to $20,000 and potential criminal prosecution.

“It is the operator’s responsibility to know the law and when and where drones can be flown. Being a responsible operator is very important,” Southwestern Land Office Public Relations Specialist Jordan Koppen said. “We just can’t take the risk when we see drones in the flight paths of our aircraft. We want to fight the fires, but we don’t want our people to get hurt. It’s a selfish act of a careless individual, and it is also a federal crime to violate a no-fly zone.”

According to the National Interagency Fire Center there have been at least 18 public drone incursions nationally, most of which resulted in the temporary shutdown of aerial firefighting efforts.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has created an app to help keep drone pilots aware of restrictions and no-fly zones. For more information, visit https://www.faa.gov/uas/where_to_fly/b4ufly/.

Wildland fire management agencies are also using a variety of communication tools to connect with drone pilots. The “If You Fly, We Can’t” safety awareness campaign is designed to keep drone pilots away from airspace used by firefighters. Additional information is available at https://www.nifc.gov/drones/index.html.

“So many people have drones now. They are so easy to get and they can fly long distances. All it takes is one drone in the wrong area and aerial firefighting operations have to be suspended,” Koppen said. “A drone could easily get sucked into an engine or a rotor and that is a recipe for disaster. That puts lives at risk, and all because someone wanted to get a photo. It’s selfish.”