No Drone Use Over Fires, Says BLM

By Jay Bartos

Published September 18, 2014 at 9:24 PM PDT

Bureau of Land Management officials in Nevada are warning operators of drones to keep their aircraft away from wildfires. The agency says it's counted at least four instances this year (not in Nevada) when a drone has flown in or near a wildfire zone where flights were temporarily restricted.

BLM Fire Management Officer Shane McDonald says he understands the appeal of shooting close-up video of a wildfire using a drone, but says they could cause problems if they hit firefighters on the ground or crash into fire suppression helicopters or tankers. BLM officials say pilots who interfere with firefighting efforts could face fines or criminal charges.
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Jay Bartos

Jay Bartos joined Nevada Public Radio in 1993 to develop and manage the state’s first radio reading service for people unable to use standard printed material due to blindness or another disability. After the reading service was discontinued in 2011, he became the afternoon host on KNPR for ten years. Jay can now be heard on air on News 88.9 KNPR and Classical 89.7 KCNV throughout the week.

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