Personal Drones Get In The Way Of Firefighters

Aerial firefighting flights were temporarily grounded because of amateur unmanned aircraft around the North Fire.

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By Hanna Kozlowska

Quartz

Only you can prevent wildfires — but using a drone could make one even worse.

A wildfire in California caused a devastating scene on the main road between Los Angeles and Las Vegas last week, when it scorched 20 cars and forced drivers to escape on foot. The fire continued to ravage the Los Angeles area this weekend and is now burning across 4,250 acres (1700 hectares), and is 75 percent contained according to local officials.

Attempts to control the blaze are also facing an unusual obstacle: drones being used by amateur videographers to film the blaze. Firefighting crews in the area spotted five so-called unmanned aircraft systems, which forced them to temporarily halt flights that are used to drop fire retardants on the blaze.

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