A midair collision between a Canadian "Super Scooper" firefighting aircraft and a privately-owned drone has intensified concerns over unauthorized drone activity in restricted airspace. The incident occurred while the aircraft was combating the Palisades Fire in California. Authorities revealed that the drone was flying without permission in an area where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had restricted airspace due to ongoing firefighting operations.
The FAA confirmed that they "has not authorized anyone unaffiliated with the Los Angeles firefighting operations to fly drones." In response to the breach, the FBI has initiated an investigation and is seeking public assistance in identifying the drone operator.
The collision resulted in a significant three-by-six-inch hole in the wing of the aircraft, identified as Quebec 1, a Canadair CL-415 with the tail number C-GQBE. This aircraft, designed for fire suppression, can scoop over 1,500 gallons of ocean water to drop on active fires. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident. However, the collision led to the temporary grounding of all aircraft involved in responding to the Palisades Fire, impacting crucial firefighting efforts.
“These fire suppression efforts using aircraft is probably the most effective tool that our firefighters have against fighting these fires to help contain them,” said Akil Davis, FBI assistant director.
The FAA has implemented a temporary flight restriction in Southern California as a precaution against similar incidents. Violating this restriction by flying drones in affected areas is a federal offense. The FAA has emphasized that they treat these violations seriously and are prepared to take swift enforcement action.
“The FAA treats these violations seriously and immediately considers swift enforcement action for these offenses,” stated the FAA.
Akil Davis further elaborated on the broader implications of such unauthorized flights.
“When you take one plane out of commission like that, it’s going to impact the speed in which the fire grows, it’s going to cause loss of property, potentially loss of life, and it’s a danger to everybody all around.”
The Los Angeles County District Attorney, Nathan Hochman, has vowed strict legal action against such transgressions.
“You will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and you will be punished to the full extent of the law,” declared Hochman.
In light of this incident, Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) officials have announced enhanced measures to track drones operating unlawfully in fire zones.
“Our federal partners behind the scenes are going to be implementing procedures to be able to follow drones in our two large fire areas, and they will be able to identify who the operator of that drone is,” explained LAFD Chief Erik Scott.
The presence of drones not only poses a risk to aerial operations but also jeopardizes overall firefighting efforts.
“The most important thing to know is that if you fly a drone at one of these brush fires, all aerial operations will be shut down, and we certainly don’t want to have that happen,” warned LAFD Chief Anthony C. Marrone.
Authorities have recovered some parts of the drone from the collision site and are using them as part of their investigation. Meanwhile, Quebec 1 is prioritized for repair and expected to resume service by Monday. The annual deployment of two CL-415 planes from Quebec to California is part of a longstanding 31-year agreement between the Canadian province and California aimed at bolstering firefighting capabilities.
