Drones Over Wildfires Pose Danger To Firefighters, Prompting Warning On Drones

Drones over wildfires pose a danger to firefighters, and officials are hoping to discourage hobbyists from flying the unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of the flames. A warning on drones has been issued by wildlife managers who cite statistics showing that the incidence of unmanned drones over wildfires has increased since just last year.

There are multiple reasons why wildlife managers have issued a warning on drones over wildfires. In addition to the danger they pose to the brave men and women who are battling the blaze on the ground, the unmanned aircraft could cause retardant bombers to be called off.

Officials say there’s a reason why the incidence of drones over wildfires has increased. These small unmanned aircraft are gaining popularity among those who are looking for a bird’s eye view of just about anything. They are being used by everyone from wedding photographers looking for a unique panoramic angle of their clients’ ceremony to paparazzi seeking one-of-a-kind footage of popular celebrities. Now people are using them to get an aerial perspective of wildfires, and that’s just not safe. National Interagency Fire Center spokesman Mike Ferris explained why they needed to issued the warning on drones.

“We’re seeing an increase in people wanting to film from a distance with hobby aircraft. If you had one of these would you fly it near an airport?”

According to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, there was one such incident last year. Thus far in 2014, there have been at least three incidents involving a drone flying “within or near restricted airspace intended for wildfire fighting aircraft,” reported MSN. The three known drones over wildfires included one at a destructive fire in Washington where hundreds of houses were incinerated. Other drones were spotted in Central Oregon and Northern California. In NorCal, the drone nearly halted aerial firefighting efforts, reported USA Today.

Aitor Bidaburu is the chairman of the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group at the National Interagency Fire Center. He offered more information about how drones over wildfires affect firefighters.

“Anytime that that [drones over wildfires] happens, folks working these fires are going to feel compromised and they’re not going to want to fly until they’re sure the airspace is safe to fly in. We have enough hazards on the ground.”

Firefighters on the ground receive support from the air in the form of helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, single engine airtankers, large transport aircraft and large airtankers. The warning on drones is designed to allow their pilots to fly freely without interference from hobbyists looking for the vicarious thrill of an aerial view.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that a recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warning on drones was not legally binding. In February, The FAA sent an email to search group Texas Equusearch prohibiting them from using drones in searches. However, United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit sided with Texas Equusearch. The group will be able to continue using the unmanned aircraft in their searches.

What do you think? Should there be a penalty for people who fly unmanned drones over wildfires despite the recently issued warning on drones?

[Image via MorgueFile]