Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources is reminding drone operators to stay clear of active forest fires after footage captured inside the perimeter of the Fort Frances 14 fire was posted online.
In a Facebook post, Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services said it is aware of drone footage taken within the boundaries of the Fort Frances 14 wildfire, a blaze covering more than 55,000 hectares and currently being managed by one of two Ontario Incident Management Teams deployed in Northwestern Ontario.
Officials say operating a drone near an active wildfire is illegal and poses a significant risk to firefighting crews.
Under Canadian Aviation Regulations, aircraft, including drones of any size, are prohibited from flying within five nautical miles of an active forest fire and below 3,000 feet above ground level.
The province is urging drone pilots to check Ontario’s interactive fire map and be aware of active wildfires before launching a drone. Operators are also being reminded to review Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs, through Nav Canada’s flight planning services before flying.
Wildfire officials warn that drones can interfere with suppression efforts and create dangerous conditions for firefighting aircraft. A collision between a drone and an aircraft could cause a serious aviation incident, potentially resulting in injury or death.
“When you fly a drone within 9.3 kilometres of any active wildland fire, you are choosing to endanger the lives of our pilots, firefighters and other emergency responders,” the agency said in its statement.
Officials are asking the public to avoid flying drones near active fires and to help keep emergency personnel safe as suppression efforts continue.
