on Drone Operators
DO NOT Fly/Operate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
Near Wildfires

Assemblyman Obernolte stopped in at the Big Bear
Fire Department to say “Thank You!”
to Fire Fighters and Forest Hot Shots. Left
center is Chief Jeff Willis.
Jay Obernolte of the
33rd Assembly District responded to Editor E T Russell’s
concerns about the dangers of drones interrupting
air attacks on recent fires.
Monday
July 13th, Obernolte, a pilot himself, told of his participation in
the crucial incidents that have occurred during recent firefighting incidents. “In
response to these recent incidents I am co-authoring a bill to impose new
penalties on operators of UAV’s that violate Temporary Flight Restrictions over
an active fire. One tier of penalties will apply to operators who
inadvertently violate the flight restriction, and the second (more severe) tier
of penalties will apply to operators who willfully violate the flight
restriction. I hope this new law will deter these operators from interfering
with aerial firefighting operations over these fires.
Assemblyman
Jay Obernolte represents the 33rd Assembly District, which
includes the San Bernardino County communities of Adelanto, Apple Valley,
Baker, Barstow, Big Bear City, Big Bear Lake, Big River, Crestline, Fort Irwin,
Hesperia, Johnson Valley, Lake Arrowhead, Lenwood, Lucerne Valley, Needles, Oak
Hills, Phelan, Running Springs, Silver Lakes, Trona, Twentynine Palms Base,
Twin Peaks and Victorville.
Previous articles about Unmanned Aircraft System (drones) that have temporarily halted
tanker operations.
See more at:
http://www.bigbearlake.net/etnews/press-conference-san-bernardino-airport-#sthash.xvVfkCkc.dpuf
“If a UAS is detected flying over or near a wildfire, we will stop
air-tankers from dropping fire retardant, helicopters from dropping water, and
other aerial firefighting aircraft from performing wildfire suppression
missions until we can confirm that the UAS has left the area and we are
confident it won’t return,” said Steve Gage, U.S. Forest Service representative
on the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC) at the National
Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. –
See more at: http://www.bigbearlake.net/etnews/public-notice-#sthash.866ZBYqL.dpuf