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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — When a fire broke out last year near a Utah mountain lake, firefighters encountered an object that proved a bigger problem than any of the flames: A drone buzzing nearby that forced them to halt their efforts until they could ensure it was gone.
Fire crews can't risk the unmanned aerial devices colliding with their planes and helicopters, so they pull out until the drones are gone, said Jason Curry of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. These increasingly frequent delays waste thousands of taxpayer dollars, risk wildfires spreading and could cause deadly crashes, he said.
A new proposal in the Utah Legislature aims to address this burgeoning problem by creating a penalty of jail time for people who fly their drones within 3 miles of a wildfire.
Legislators are scheduled to discuss the measure during a House committee Tuesday afternoon. Curry hopes lawmakers back the bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Kraig Powell of Heber City.
"I really hope it doesn't take a major mishap and somebody to lose their life for the public to take it seriously," Curry said.
As drones become increasingly popular, more people fly the devices near wildfires to take photographs or simply view them up close, Curry said.
In Utah, fire officials spotted one drone flying over a wildfire in 2014 and two last year, Curry said. He said he didn't know of one crashing into a fire department aircraft.
Nationally, drones may have interfered with aircraft fighting more than a dozen wildfires last year, according to the U.S. Forest Service. In 2014, they interfered during just a handful of fires.
The California Legislature considered a similar proposal last year, but it died.
Critics say punishing drone hobbyists with jail time is too extreme.
There should be consequences if you put a pilot or anyone else in danger, but time behind bars may not be the right one, said Troy May, whose Ogden-based company, Digital Defense Surveillance, sells drones and offers training on their use.
May said he would like to see fire departments work with drone pilots to fight fires because the unmanned aircraft can be extremely valuable in spotting which direction flames are moving.
Rep. Powell didn't immediately return messages seeking comment, but he is expected to discuss the measure at the hearing Tuesday.
The state penalty would add another deterrent. During wildfires, the Federal Aviation Administration already can impose temporary restrictions on drone hobbyists, meaning they aren't allowed to fly their aircraft within a certain area.
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