Attack on the drones: Legislation could allow California firefighters to take

The new bill basically gives any emergency personnel the ability to damage an unmanned aircraft, such as a drone, during the course of a firefight, air ambulance, or during search and rescue operations.

Gaines and Gatto are also teaming on Senate Bill 167, which increases fines and introduces the possibility of jail time for drone use that interferes with firefighting efforts.

Drone enthusiasts and firefighters say drones kept firefighting pilots from keeping 500 acres of flames under control in San Bernardino last Friday. SB 168 would allow firefighters to shoot those drones out of the sky. Right now, a misdemeanor would cost you $1,000.

“Drone operators are risking lives when they fly over an emergency situation”, Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Glendale, said. “Just because you have access to an expensive toy that can fly in a risky area doesn’t mean you should do it”, Gatto said in a statement.

He said the board will be discussing at its next meeting on July 28 what it can do to crack down on drone operators endangering the safety of county citizens and public safety officials. “We’re going to be working to determine the specific impact that these hobby drones have already had, the consequences that they had on those fires and then how we can move forward to continue to enforce the laws that now exist”.

Recent efforts to strengthen drone regulations include a federal bill by Rep. Paul Cook, R-Apple Valley.

“We continue to see more and more incidents”, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant told KQED. It also forced the grounding of three aircraft, including two air tankers preparing to drop retardant along the eastern flank of the fire.

The U.S. Forest Service is stepping up its attack on snooping drones watching firefighting aircraft after six flights had to be grounded because drones got too close.