PINE VALLEY, Utah — As crews continued to battle the Saddle Fire in southern Utah Sunday night, a fifth incident of illegal drone use halted air operations.
According to a press release from fire officials, aircraft fighting the Saddle Fire near Pine Valley were halted around 6:30 p.m. due to a drone in the area.
The press release states: “Everyone is reminded to never fly drones over a wildfire. If you fly, we can’t. Because of the inaccessibility of the fire perimiter, fire managers utilize aircraft to support firefighters in challenging areas.”
Flying a drone in a prohibited area is a misdemeanor in Utah, and felony charges are possible in the case of a collision. There is a 5-mile no fly zone around the Saddle Fire.
The fire is 45 percent contained as of Sunday night, and it has burned an estimated 2,295 acres. A public information meeting will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Pine Valley Fire Station.
