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As
wildfire weather conditions are intensifying, Oklahoma Forestry Services is
advising operators of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones, to
avoid flying near or over wildfires and putting fire suppression aircraft at
risk.

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???Drone
operators need to understand that when they are detected near a fire, the
aircraft being used to suppress fire has to be diverted away from the area,???
said George Geissler, Oklahoma State Forester. ???Drones pose a threat to these
low flying aircraft and their pilots, and increase the risk of lives and
property loss on the ground.???

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Due
to wildfire conditions, Oklahoma Forestry Services currently has federal and
Oklahoma Air National Guard aircraft, including single engine air tankers
(SEATs), the CL-415 ???Super Scooper???, and helicopters directly assigned to
wildland fire suppression in the state. These aircraft fly low to the ground
while dropping their loads of water and retardant, sometimes well below 200
feet. Drones can fly up to 400 feet, which allows for the potential of a plane
colliding with a drone and causing potentially catastrophic damage to the
plane. Because of the potential for collision, fire suppression aircraft are
diverted away from fires if a drone is detected in the area.

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The
issue is not limited to Oklahoma. There were dozens of instances during the
2015 western US fire season where tankers were prevented from working fires due
to drones in the area. However, Oklahoma has seen three instances in the last
five months in which drones were detected at wildfires. Drone use is rapidly
increasing as the technology becomes more widely available and less expensive.

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???Unmanned aerial systems have a wide variety
of uses, many of which are only beginning to be explored,??? said Oklahoma
Secretary of Science and Technology Stephen McKeever. ???Currently drone use
during wildland fire suppression is not advisable due to potential conflict
with helicopters and tankers activity fighting the fires. We must always
consider the safety of our firefighters and the public first.???

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Since there are so many people operating
drones who have little or no aviation experience, Oklahoma Forestry Services
hopes to work with others across the state and nation to educate operators
about the dangers associated with flying around wildfires.

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Oklahoma Forestry Services is the state's
lead agency related to wildland fire prevention, protection and use. For
additional information about wildfires, visit www.forestry.ok.gov/wildfire-information.

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