Nevada officials warn against drone interference at fires
In the wake of last month's high-profile drone incursion over the Cajon Pass fire along Interstate 15 in Southern California, the Nevada Division of Forestry has issued a warning about the use of remotely piloted vehicles at fire scenes in the Silver State.
"If they fly, we can't," said Nevada fire warden Bob Roper in a written statement Friday. "It's a major risk to pilots, ground personnel and aircraft. There may also be civil and/or criminal consequences that Nevada operators need to know about."
On July 17, an unidentified drone forced firefighters in California to suspend air operations for almost half an hour just as the North Fire was jumping I-15 about 210 miles southwest of Las Vegas, burning some 20 vehicles and sending motorists running for their lives.
It was the third such drone incident so far this year at a California fire, and it prompted San Bernardino County to offer a "bounty" for information leading the perpetrators.
"We want to know who was flying drones, and we want them punished. Someone knows who they are, and there is $75,000 waiting for them," James Ramos, chairman of the county's board of supervisors, said in a written statement.
There have been no documented cases of unmanned aircraft interfering with fire operations in Nevada.
"We want to keep it that way," said forestry spokeswoman JoAnn Kittrell.
State officials are urging operators to know the rules before they fly, and to ground their drones during fires.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Nevada issued a similar warning last year after four incidents involving drones across the West.
As part of a wildfire response, officials often impose temporary flight restrictions so only the agencies involved in the firefighting effort can fly manned or unmanned aircraft. But even if there are no such restrictions, operating a drone could still pose a hazard to firefighting aircraft and violate Federal Aviation Regulations.
"If you endanger manned aircraft or people on the ground with an unmanned aircraft, you could be liable for a fine ranging from $1,000 to a maximum of $25,000," FAA Administrator Michael Huerta in the state's release. "Know the rules before you fly. If you don't, serious penalties could be coming your way for jeopardizing these important missions."
Forest officials said more information can be found at: http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.
Contact Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Find him on Twitter: @RefriedBrean
