UPDATE: CAL FIRE warns drones over wildfires can pose a detrimental risk

UPDATE 6/26/15 10:16 p.m.: Fire activity across the state which remains high. Cal Fire is battling five massive fires. Nearly 3,300 firefighters are still on the front lines. While crews have gotten the upper hand on several fires, a red flag warning is now in effect for northeast California.

One of the five fires still burning is the Lake Fire in the San Bernardino Mountains. So far it has burned nearly 30,000 acres and is just 19 percent contained. Many have been forced to leave their homes.

On Thursday, a drone forced them to stop fighting the Lake Fire, putting homes and lives at risk. The Federal Aviation Administration does not allow them in temporary flight restriction areas which are usually in place over large wildfires.

That warning from fire crews down in Southern California is prompting our local firefighters to warn drone operators here on the Central Coast. Cal Fire crews said it’s not only illegal but very dangerous for firefighters. On Friday, NewsChannel 5 found out why drones can also pose a threat to your safety.

Crews said it’s dangerous for everyone because they can stall firefighting efforts. While they haven’t dealt with drones flying overhead during a fire yet, they know a lot of people around here have them.

CAL FIRE said drones may be small, but their impact on hampering firefighting efforts can be huge.

“A few years ago a jet liner striked a flock of birds and they brought it down in the Hudson (River) a few years back. so you can imagine uh a drone on a smaller aircraft could do basically the same thing,” Battalion Chief Robert De La Rosa said.

But a drone expert we’ve interviewed before, said he doesn’t think a drone would get in the way. In fact he thinks drones could offer crews more precise information on where their air attacks could be most effective.

“The more they get used, the more ideas you are going to have. Kind of like when computers came out – some people thought well what am I going to use this for? now we don’t live without them,” John Ivey with Monterey Drones said.

While Ivey doesn’t think a drone could take firefighting aircraft down, he knows most drone fliers know better than to get in the way of an emergency. On Thursday, firefighting efforts slowed at the Lake Fire in San Bernardino County after air crews were grounded because of a drone. Central Coast CAL FIRE crews hope that’s something they won’t have to face.

“We coordinate our fire attack with their aircraft and our ground resources and if we’re, unable to fly over the fire due to these drones that means our ground forces are exposed and have to take on more of the fire, uh, in their own,” De La Rosa said.

Crews said that poses a serious risk for everyone involved.

If anyone is caught flying a drone in the air space above a wild fire, CAL FIRE said they could face serious charges from the FAA.

PREVIOUS STORY: CAL FIRE said attempts to put out the Lake Fire in San Bernadino County have been delayed by unmanned aircraft systems, also known as hobby drones, flying in their airspace.

The San Benito-Monterey Unit is reminding everyone any intrusion of airspace around a fire incident is very dangerous for the firefighters both on the ground and in their air crafts.

CAL FIRE reports seeing an increase in hobby drones interfering with firefighting operations due to their recent gain in popularity.

CAL FIRE is reminding people that anyone who interferes with firefighting efforts can face charges. They are encouraging people to visit the FAA’s website for more information on drones.