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The BC Wildfire Service is reminding the public that using drones near a wildfire is illegal after an incident disrupted operations at the Wilson Creek fire on Sunday.
Crews were forced to suspend air operations because people were flying drones above the fire, according to a news release.
A helicopter was grounded and all firefighting aircraft had to divert from their flight paths to avoid the airspace around Little Wilson Lake, which is about 19 km east of Nakusp.
The airspace around Little Wilson Lake is now clear and the RCMP is working with the BC Wildfire Service to investigate the incident.
A radius of five nautical miles around the fire to an altitude of 3,000 feet above ground level is considered restricted airspace.
Under federal regulations, anyone caught operating a drone within an active wildfire could be fined $25,000, or jailed for up to 18 months.
Using drones near or on a wildfire is considered an "interference" as defined in Section 56 of the provincial Wildfire Act.
Operators can face a ticket fine of $1,150 or up to $100,000 and over a year in jail if convicted.
The BC Wildfire Service says the presence of drones near an active wildfire can slow or shut down aerial firefighting efforts due to safety concerns. If a drone collides with firefighting aircraft, the consequences could be deadly.
