A firefighting aircraft operating over the Palisades fire has been grounded and out of service after being damaged by a civilian drone attack Thursday afternoon, officials confirmed.
The civilian drone was not involved in the fire, but crashed into the Quebec 1 super scooper, damaging its wing around 1 p.m., according to an X post from Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Eric Scott. That’s what it means.
No one was injured and the plane landed safely, officials said.
“We would like to remind everyone that flying a drone while fighting a fire is a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison or a fine of up to $75,000,” Scott said. .
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it would investigate the incident.
“The FAA does not permit anyone not associated with Los Angeles firefighting operations to fly drones within the TFR,” the federal agency said in a release. “The FAA takes these violations seriously and will immediately consider expedited enforcement actions for these violations.”
The FAA also warned of the dangers of flying drones near wildfires, which could be life-threatening.
“When people fly drones near wildfires, fire officials often ground the aircraft to avoid the possibility of a mid-air collision,” the FAA said. “Delays in air response pose a threat to firefighters on the scene, residents and property in nearby communities, and can lead to further spread of the wildfire.”
Additionally, the FAA announced that it has implemented multiple Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) in the Los Angeles area to protect firefighting aircraft.
“All other aircraft, including drones, are prohibited from flying TFR unless authorized,” the FAA warned.
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