Civilian drones were flying near wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County, authorities said, continuing to disrupt aerial efforts Saturday night as the death toll from the blazes rose.
Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief Robert Harris said at a news conference Saturday night that since Tuesday's inferno erupted, authorities have spotted 48 commercial drones flying over the fire.
“If these privately owned drones are discovered, we will have to suspend firefighting efforts and we ask that you do not operate your drone in the area,” Harris said. He added that the suspect is being searched by police and that a police report may be made in the future. Possibility of prosecution.
Authorities are urging civilians not to fly drones near wildfires, as they could interfere with low-flying firefighting planes and delay emergency response. Pilot distraction can be fatal.
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A helicopter sprays water on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles, Saturday, January 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)
On Thursday, someone flew a civilian drone onto the wing of a Quebec 1 Super Scooper fire plane carrying water to extinguish wildfires. Officials said the collision left a “fist-sized hole” in the plane and it is out of service until at least Monday.
A Super Scooper plane sprayed water on a fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on Tuesday. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
A super scooper flown in from Canada was working to extinguish the Palisades fire at the time of the incident. The pilots were unaware of the drone crash, which was not discovered until it landed at Van Nuys Airport and maintenance staff noticed the hole, officials said.
The FAA is investigating, and a spokesperson told Fox News Digital that interfering with firefighters is a federal crime punishable by up to a year in prison and a $75,000 fine.
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Meanwhile, the number of wildfire-related deaths has jumped to 16, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades fire and 11 were attributed to the Eaton fire.
A helicopter sprays water on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles, Friday, January 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
As of Saturday evening, the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hearst fires had burned about 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco, Cal Fire said. Two major wildfires, the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, have burned 59 square miles.
Firefighters are still working to extinguish the Palisades and Eaton fires. Cal Fire reported Saturday night that the Palisades Fire was 11% contained and the Eaton Fire was 15% contained.
Firefighters watch as water is sprayed on the Palisades Fire at Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles, Saturday, January 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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Michael Traum of the California Department of Emergency Services said the fighting is expected to continue and firefighters are preparing for more strong winds expected starting Monday.
Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz and Julia Bonavita and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
