San Bernardino County approves rewards to stop drones during fires

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to authorize three separate $25,000 rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people flying drones in the Lake Fire, the North Fire or the Mill-2 Fire.

Their message was simple and clear: “No drones over fire zones”. Fire officials have a campaign with the saying, “If you fly, we can’t”. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado – are proposing legislation to crack down harder on illegal drone operators hindering firefighters, there are laws already on the books that can used against offenders.

As a result of recent incidents, the state Legislature is considering a bill that would make it a misdemeanor to fly drones at fire sites.

The latest incident took place earlier this month, when firefighters say they encountered five hobby drones flying over the wildfire, presumably capturing footage of all the damage below.

More recently, drones were seen as the North Fire spread from the I-15 freeway in Cajon Pass into the community of Baldy Mesa. “We were just trying to educate them”, a USFS spokesperson said.

San Bernardino officials are telling anyone with information to call eTip at 1-800-78-CRIME, and callers can remain anonymous. But, now, as he flies over wildfires to drop chemical retardant, he not only worries about watching for other aircraft, birds and thick drifting smoke, he thinks about the drones that might be out there. If a drone collides with a plane or helicopter it could cause the aircraft to crash.

Two weeks later, during the Mill 2 fire (which was also in San Bernardino County), the Los Angeles Times reports that “officials had to briefly suspend a tanker after a drone was spotted flying over Mill Creek Canyon near California 38”. They have ignored us. However, the drone hadn’t interfered with firefighting air support, so the drone operator wasn’t charged with anything.