During wildfire season it is important for the public to avoid unintentionally interfering with wildfire operations.
Earlier this month on Aug. 14 the Kamloops Fire Centre put out a request urging the public to avoid entering active fire zones after several incidents where fire suppression activities were halted due to "interference by members of the public." These included members of the public entering fire areas, travellers stopping on roadways near an active wildfire to observe fire activity or suppression efforts, recreational boaters failing to give helicopters and air tankers sufficient room to manoeuvre and operate safely when collecting water, and finally, the operation of drones in active wildfire areas.
In the Cariboo Fire Centre information officer Madison Dahl noted that thankfully Cariboo firefighters have not had to deal with such public interference in their operations this summer. With only two out-of-control wildfires now burning in the fire centre, she noted the vast majority of people in B.C. are "mindful and respectful of suppression activities, and we appreciate everyone's cooperation and support to help keep all of us safe this summer."
Dahl said BC Conservation Officers and Natural Resource Officers from the Compliance and Enforcement Branch all work closely with BC Wildfire Service to conduct regular patrols to issue "violation tickets for fire-related infractions or prosecute more serious violations through administrative and/or judicial processes."
According to a 2016 press release on the B.C. Wildfire Act, intentional interference of firefighting efforts can see fines up to $1,150, while failing to comply with an order to leave an area and restricting firefighting activity see fines up to $767.
Dahl notes unauthorized aircraft actively pose a risk to firefighting activity, because the area around a wildfire is a "hub of aviation firefighting activity" which often uses fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft to suppress fires.
"In many cases, small wildfires or fires with little smoke can be the centre of intense aviation activity. Airtankers, helicopters and float planes working the fire can be found anywhere in the area, travelling to and from the fire or picking up water from lakes and rivers," Dahl explained. "Often these aircraft are hidden by smoke. Besides contributing to the risk of a mid-air collision, the presence of unauthorized aircraft can seriously disrupt the work of fire suppression crews."
Interfering with airtankers or helicopters picking up water from nearby lakes is similarly dangerous.
"Recreational boaters or people using other watercraft who try to get a close-up look at these aircraft present a serious safety risk to aircrews and anyone else in the area," said Dahl, who noted that it interferes with fighting wildfires because aircraft cannot collect water when a boat is in the intended flight path of the aircraft.
Finally, drones also pose a risk to wildfire suppression activities because they can shut down aerial firefighting efforts due to safety concerns.
"This has happened a few times in recent years and has delayed BC Wildfire Service's firefighting response. This type of activity is extremely dangerous and poses a significant safety risk to personnel, especially when low-flying firefighting aircraft are present. If a drone collides with firefighting aircraft, the consequences could be deadly," Dahl said. "There is zero tolerance to those who fly drones in active wildfire areas. The rules regarding drone use are very clear and simple to understand - there is no excuse for wilfully disregarding the regulations."
