The BC Wildfire Service is reminding the public not to fly drones near wildfires after a midair collision between a drone and a Bird Dog aircraft on Thursday, Sept. 4.
BC Wildfire Service (BCWS)issued a statement on Facebook stating that the drone hit the plane while illegally flying within restricted airspace near a blaze in the Cariboo Fire Centre. While they did not say where exactly this incident occurred, they noted that such interference poses a significant risk to first responders and public safety. It also hampers the BCWS's ability to respond to fires during critical periods.
Anyone who is found to have interfered with wildfire fighting efforts by flying drones or other UAVs in restricted airspace may face a fine of up to $100,000 and or a year in jail.
"Transport Canada and the BC Wildfire Service explicitly prohibit the use of UAVs or drones of any size near a wildfire. All unauthorized drones (including microdrones under 250 grams) continue to be banned within the restricted airspace of five nautical miles (9.3 kilometres) and 3,000 feet above ground level of active wildfires," the BCWS wrote in its statement.
In addition to wildfires, the public is asked to report any drones or UAVs they see near a wildfire to *5555 or 1-800-663-5555 immediately so that BC Wildfire Service Pilots can avoid that airspace and land safely.
A full breakdown of private drone usage and safety can be found at https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety.
