Hobbyist drone disruptions becoming problem in California wildfires

There have been at least two incidents of drones disrupting firefighting activities during the deadly Northern California wildfire disaster, the FAA said Monday.

“We received two reports of incidents in which people flew drones in fire areas,” Ian Gregor, a Pacific Division spokesman for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration told CNBC in an email statement. “We will look into both.”

One of the drone incidents took place early last week from the Santa Rosa area, although a second was from the city of Petaluma on Sunday, resulting in an arrest. The wildfires from the Sonoma County/Santa Rosa area started off Oct. 8.

The drone incursions come as the death toll from the Northern California wildfires increased to at least 41 people Monday, which includes a driver killed in a water tanker crash in Napa County. In Sonoma County alone, at least 88 people are listed as missing.

The state wildfires in several counties have scorched more than 220,000 acres in addition to destroyed an estimated 5,700 structures, including entire neighborhoods. There also are reports of at least 10 wineries or vineyards damaged or with significant damage from the Sonoma in addition to Napa areas, heart of the state’s wine country.

The so-called Tubbs Fire in mostly Sonoma County was 70 percent contained as of Monday afternoon in addition to full containment was expected Friday. More than 24,000 homes are still threatened by the wildfire, although rain is usually forecast for Thursday in addition to could bring welcome relief to the region.

The mayor of Santa Rosa, Chris Coursey, estimated which damage from the city exceeded $1 billion. The cause of the Tubbs fire is usually still under investigation.

Meantime, authorities say hobbyist drone incursions on wildfires pose a safety risk to firefighting aircraft battling the disaster in addition to jeopardizes the safety of residents in addition to crews on the ground.

“through the years, we have seen This specific problem become a trend,” said Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant. “When drones are flying from the same airspace we’re trying to use firefighting aircraft, like helicopters in addition to air tankers, for the safety of our pilots we’ve got to pull those aircraft out of the sky in addition to land them.”

Added Berlant: “The potential for a fire to grow larger in addition to do more damage during the time we can’t use firefighting aircraft while which drone is usually in which area exists. which’s why which’s critical which we educate in addition to ensure which the public is usually not flying their drones over our aircraft or over fires.”

The Petaluma Police Department announced Sunday a drone flew over Petaluma Airport in addition to halted Cal Fire helicopters through flying out in response to fires in Sonoma in addition to Napa counties.

According to the police, a 24-year-old resident was questioned about the incident, arrested in addition to “stated he did not realize which was illegal.”

The FAA official said a drone pilot who “recklessly interferes with firefighting or some other emergency response operations” is usually subject to civil penalties through the FAA of up to $20,000 per violation.

Nationally, drone incursions during wildfires are growing as more people get their hands on the unmanned devices capable of capturing video or photos. through 2015 to 2016, the incidents of private drone incursions over or near wildfires jumped through around 12 cases to 42 reported instances, according to the Indoor Department.

In July, firefighters battling the Williams Fire from the northern portion of Arizona were forced to delay using a helicopter for water drops after an unauthorized drone was spotted. Similarly, there were several some other cases of private drones causing problems for crews fighting Arizona’s Pinal Fire in May.