Gatto and Gaines also authored Senate Bill 167, which would increase fines and introduce the possibility of jail time for drone use that interferes with firefighting efforts. On Monday, Republican Sen.
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The fire has consumed more than 4,250 acres overall and engulfed Interstate 15, a major road that links Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It spread to other communities and has since burned more homes and vehicles.
“If a drone gets caught in a jet engine or in a propeller of a aircraft or helicopter, you’re putting lives at risk”, Gaines said. The measure, SB 168, comes after recent incidents in which amateur drones interfered with firefighting in California. “Just because you have access to an expensive toy that can fly in a risky area doesn’t mean you should do it”, said Assemblyman Gatto, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection. “We’re going to be working to determine the specific impact that these hobby drones have already had, the consequences that they had on those fires and then how we can move forward to continue to enforce the laws that now exist”.
Drones forced firefighters to temporarily ground planes in the last week.
Firefighters tackling a wildfire in San Bernadino county over the weekend said five drones were spotted, presumably filming the blaze.
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It is the authors’ hope and intent that the advent of effective “jamming” technology could keep drones away from emergency response areas and flight paths, and that warnings and public education efforts could ensure that the safest, least-damaging methods for avoiding or disabling unauthorized drones will be the primary methods used in these crises. The intrusion of drones into the area caused fire officials to suspend drops of water and fire retardant.
