Collision between a firefighting Canadair and a drone in Los Angeles

An unfortunate and particularly foolish accident as Southern California is ravaged by fires of unprecedented intensity.

An incident involving a drone significantly disrupts firefighting operations in Los Angeles, once again highlighting the dangers of unauthorized use of these devices in disaster zones. A Canadair, engaged in fighting the fire that ravages the upscale Palisades neighborhood, collided with a drone during one of its missions. This event forced the aircraft to stay in the hangar for repairs, leaving ground teams with reduced aerial support.

The consequences of this accident are severe. This Canadair was one of only two available for this critical mission, and its out-of-service status until Monday represents a significant loss in efforts to contain the flames. The aircraft’s pilots only noticed the impact upon landing, when a maintenance team discovered a fist-sized hole in the aircraft’s structure.

Aerial authorities and firefighters strongly remind that flying a drone in a firefighting airspace is both illegal and extremely dangerous. The presence of a drone immediately suspends all aerial operations, putting residents’ lives at risk and compromising the effectiveness of rescue teams.

Temporary flight restrictions are currently in place over the fires. However, videos captured by drones continue to circulate on social media and in the news, despite the risk of fines and jail time for their operators. In the United States and elsewhere, the rules are clear: interfering with firefighting aircraft is a crime, with severe legal consequences. Even without formal restrictions, drone pilots should refrain from flying near fires and disaster zones in general.

The owner of the drone has not yet been identified, and it is likely they never will be, as the small flying device remains almost completely destroyed. In a relentless race for sensational images, local media stop at nothing to obtain striking footage, calling on top drone pilots. Unfortunately, it is most likely one of these devices…

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