Gonna Get Burned

Chances are—especially if you’re in a Western state—you’ve been not all that far from a wildfire sometime in the last few years, perhaps close enough to hear planes passing overhead to dump loads of water and fire-retardant chemicals.

We know how difficult it can be to deal with the after effects of a wildfire: trying to prevent the inevitable erosion on barren hillsides, trying to get something to grow back before the rainy season, and the challenges of long-term restoration. We deal with what happens after, but we place a high value on the work of those who come before us—the firefighters who battle the blaze, both from the air and on the ground. The faster they can get it out, the easier our job is likely to be.

But something’s slowing them down these days. Last month, firefighting aircraft in Utah were grounded for 20 hours during the worst of a wildfire. The reason? A helicopter scooping water from a reservoir to spread on the fire nearly collided with a drone. Officials called back all the planes and helicopters until they decided it was safe to take to the air again.

Over the last year, as reported in this article, 20 drones have been spotted near wildfires—no doubt owned by people who want to get a closer look at the action—in Alaska, Arizona, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, and Utah. Six of those sightings resulted in aircraft temporarily being grounded. It has proven nearly impossible to track the drones or identify their owners.

During the Utah fire, for which 500 homes were evacuated, Governor Gary Herbert tweeted “Evacuations likely could have been avoided if drones hadn’t interrupted air attack on the fire. That is completely unacceptable.”

Rules are in place, of course; according to FAA regulations, drones are supposed to stay below 400 feet. But firefighting planes typically fly low, putting them at greater risk.

What further measures can you think of to discourage drone operators from interfering with firefighting operations? And conversely, have you ever used a drone to survey the damage and plan the next steps after a fire?