A fast-growing wildfire in Northern California has surged to more than double the size of Beverly Hills, with officials saying an unauthorized drone briefly forced firefighting aircraft to leave the airspace.
By Monday morning, the Elephant Fire had burned 6,436 acres north of Loyalton and Highway 49. The blaze was only 5% contained, while evacuation orders and warnings remained in place for areas of Lassen and Plumas counties.
Crews faced an added setback Sunday when the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a drone flying illegally in restricted airspace as aircraft were working to slow the fire’s spread.
Deputies went to the area, located the person operating the drone, and made sure the device was no longer a hazard before aerial firefighting operations were allowed to resume, FOX40 reported.
Authorities said the drone was interfering with active firefighting aircraft, was flying above the legal altitude limit, and had entered airspace closed under a Temporary Flight Restriction put in place for wildfire response.
The sheriff’s office said it is working with the Federal Aviation Administration as the investigation continues. When the inquiry is finished, the case will be sent to the Sierra County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible criminal charges.
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“The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that flying a drone near an active wildfire is both dangerous and illegal.
“Unauthorized drone flights can force firefighting aircraft to stop flying until the airspace is confirmed clear, delaying firefighting operations and jeopardizing the safety of firefighters and the public,” officials said.
Evacuation orders remain in effect as officials have described the situation as an Immediate threat to life. The area is lawfully closed to public access. Evacuation orders were issued for the following zones: LAS-451-A, LAS-671-B, PLU-104-A and PLU-144.
