A drone was spotted in the Penticton Fire Zone on Friday while crews were responding to an incident.
BC Wildfire Service confirmed in a tweet Saturday that a drone was used in dangerous proximity to a crew and helicopter responding to an incident in the Penticton Fire Zone.
Transport Canada and the BC Wildfire Service explicitly prohibit the use of drones of any size near a wildfire.
Get daily National news
“The operation of any aircraft not associated with fire suppression activities within a radius of five nautical miles around a fire, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones), is illegal,” said BCWS.
Anyone found interfering with wildfire control efforts can face penalties of up to $100,000 and/or up to one year in jail.
- 2 men charged in targeted killing of St. Albert woman who worked as a dentist: Alberta RCMP
- Unknown person found dead in Ontario house fire while residents out of country
- Kelowna man fined $5K for flying drone during 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire
- Wildfire funding not sufficient in Saskatchewan budget, says fire chief
The presence of drones near an active wildfire slows down response, says the wildfire service. It completely shuts down aerial firefighting efforts due to safety concerns it poses a significant safety risk to personnel, especially when low-lying firefighting aircraft are present.
“If a drone collides with firefighting aircraft, the consequences could be deadly. Out of respect for the lives and safety of those responding to wildfires and in the interest of public safety, British Columbians are asked to keep their drones well away from wildfires,” said BCWS.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.