A drone that was being flown illegally was damaged. grounded A super scooper plane leased to help fight wildfires devastating Los Angeles.
Officials said the drone hit the plane, leaving a fist-sized hole in the wing that needed repair. Drones are prohibited from flying while fighting fires, and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.
“If we fly a drone over any of these forest fires, all air operations will be suspended.”
Two Super Scoopers have been leased from Canada to help fight wildfires that have caused extensive damage in the Pacific Palisades and other parts of Southern California.
As of Friday morning, the Palisades wildfire had burned more than 20,000 acres and destroyed more than 5,000 homes and businesses. The fire is only 8% contained, but winds are weakening.
The damaged plane is scheduled to return to service on Monday.
Anyone found guilty of flying a drone during firefighting operations could face up to one year in prison. The FAA announced that anyone who obstructs firefighting efforts could also be subject to fines of up to $75,000.
“The most important thing to know is that if you fly a drone on one of these wildfires, all aviation operations will be suspended,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone. Ta. “And we never want that to happen.”
California's local officials, most of whom are Democrats, have come under intense scrutiny for a lack of planning and coordination to protect lives and homes from conflagrations.
Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was criticized for going to Ghana with a U.S. delegation just as authorities said a life-threatening disaster was imminent. In another embarrassing episode, the deputy chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, who was hailed as the first black woman to do so, came under fire after a video was unearthed that appeared to show her mocking fire victims.
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