The operation of drones in the vicinity of forest fires creates unsafe conditions for water bombers to protect communities. All drone operators and the general public are asked to respect the dedicated efforts of our province’s firefighting personnel.

The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture is expressing concern over the use of drones over or near a forest fire as it poses a significant safety risk to firefighting efforts, particularly to the operations of waterbombers and other aerial firefighting equipment.

Waterbombers play a critical role in controlling and extinguishing forest fires, and their pilots need to operate in a clear and unobstructed airspace. Unauthorized drone activity can interfere with these operations, potentially causing delays in firefighting efforts and putting the lives of firefighters and pilots at risk.

Unauthorized drone use can result in fines and legal action.