Drones halt firefighting effort in Brunswick County
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — According to the North Carolina Forest Service, two unauthorized drones were flown over the Sunset Road Fire in Brunswick County Friday, forcing firefighting aircraft to be grounded for 45 minutes.
The NC Forest Service said, “When a wildfire runs and spreads rapidly, every minute counts.”
The agency reminds the public that flying a drone over or near a wildfire is illegal in North Carolina.
According to the North Carolina General Statutes (N.C.G.S. §15A-300.4), , it is against the law to fly a drone within 3,000 feet horizontally or vertically of a forest fire that falls under the jurisdiction of the NC Forest Service. That distance is about half a mile in any direction from an active fire.
The Forest Service added, “Firefighting aircraft that respond to wildfires fly low in support of ground personnel. Drones can pose a serious threat to pilot and public safety. A drone that disrupts air operations also puts firefighters, residents and property at risk of loss to wildfire.”
