The US Department of Agriculture Forest Service has blamed a drone for starting a wildfire in Coconino National Forest, near Flagstaff, Arizona, in early March. In a March 6 tweet, the Coconino National Forest tweeted that the “drone caught fire after landing at 12:35 p.m.” and warned of road closings. The fire destroyed 335 acres before it was contained, nearly five hours later.
The drone caught fire after it crash-landed, according to local authorities, igniting dry grasses in the Kendrick Park area. It took 30 firefighters to bring the blaze under control. The owner, who was not named, was identified and charged by authorities. If found guilty, he could face a fine, community service, or jail time.
This is not the first time local firefighters had to deal with drones and wilderness fires. In 2017, a drone interfered with helicopters that were trying to put out a blaze. The owner of the drone was taking pictures of the blaze. The drone brand and model have not been identified.
According to Unmanned Aerial, unmanned aircraft are allowed to fly within the Coconino National Forest, but must adhere to federal rules including not operating in a designated wilderness area and not flying within five miles of Sedona airport.
