Firefighting aircraft attempting to battle the Palisades wildfire on the outskirts of Los Angeles were forced to leave the area for a time on Friday after unauthorized drones were spotted in the air.
Newsweek contacted the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department for comment via email and phone respectively on Saturday outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
On Thursday, a Super Scooper fixed-winged aircraft, designed to carry large quantities of water to drop on fires, was damaged after it collided with a small drone whilst flying over the Palisades fire, leaving a hole in its wing, Los Angeles Times reported. In response, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the plane was grounded, though he expressed hope it would be fixed by Monday.
Unauthorized drones hamper firefighting efforts by forcing aircraft to leave the area and potentially damaging them, which authorities say is putting lives at risk both in the air and on the ground.
What To Know
Speaking to the LA Times, Chris Thomas, public information officer for the Palisade fire, said the latest unauthorized drone sightings which forced firefighting aircraft to leave the area were spotted around 4:40 p.m. on Friday.
Thomas said the sighting took place above the southeastern section of the fire, close to Santa Monica, and was being investigated by law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
As of 9:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, the Palisades fire had consumed over 21,000 acres according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), making it the most destructive wildfire in the state's history.
On Friday, the Palisades fire moved closer to the heavily populated San Fernando Valley, sparking fresh fears from authorities.
In total, the wildfires that have raged across the northern and western outskirts of Los Angeles have left 11 people dead, though on Friday President Joe Biden warned this figure is likely to rise as there are "still a lot of people who are unaccounted for."
California Governor Gavin Newsom has called on Donald Trump to visit the wildfire scene of devastation in Los Angeles. It came after the president-elect alleged the disaster was "all his fault."
What People Are Saying
Referring to the Super Scooper aircraft hit by a drone on Thursday, Thomas said: "This is not just harmless fun. This is incredibly dangerous. Seriously, what if that plane had gone down? It could have taken out a row of homes. It could have taken out a school."
"Because of safety, we have to get all the aircraft out of the area until we know the drones are gone. So that is very dangerous, because it takes water-dropping capability away from the fire."
Thomas told LA Times: "If we have to take helicopters out of an area and the wind catches one of those cinders in that area and lifts it up, we could ignite a whole other area."
In a statement, the FAA told the newspaper: "It's a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands.
"Additionally, the FAA can impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement or emergency response operations when temporary flight restrictions are in place."
What Happens Next
More powerful winds are expected overnight on Saturday, with speeds of between 20 and 40 miles per hour, potentially further inflaming the wildfires though forecasters expect these to dissipate on Sunday.
President Biden has approved a disaster declaration for the Los Angeles wildfires, unlocking federal funding to help deal with the emergency and reconstruction.
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