This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
After two incidents of human-operated drones encroaching too close to wildfires in Utah last season, state legislators passed preventive rules for flying the crafts. They reiterated those guidelines Wednesday afternoon as wildfire season begins in the state.
Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber City, said it's important to educate residents on the appropriate times and places for flying drones as the hobby continues to grow in popularity in Utah. A bill Powell sponsored, spurred by the increasing presence of the devices and passed in the Legislature in March, took effect on May 10 and prohibits any unmanned aircraft from flying in "an area designated as a wildland fire scene."
Drones hovering in these zones can interfere with the helicopters and aircraft used to control wildfires.
"Firefighting aircraft are extremely nimble. They come in at low altitudes," said Jason Curry, spokesman for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. "They come in with very little warning. Sometimes you don't hear them until they're right on top of a situation."
Curry said drones are a "collective stressor" for pilots because aircraft have to maneuver around them in already tense situations. He believes the new law will work to lower the risk to aircraft operators.
A drone flying near the Wheeler Fire in Wasatch County, which burned more than 600 acres in 2015, shut down all aerial operations for fear of a crash with the unmanned aircraft. Fire officials say a drone also threatened work on the Quail Hollow Fire, which burned 28 acres and threatened homes in Cottonwood Heights in September.
The owners of drones flying in wildfire areas face penalties of up to $275,000 and three years in jail, depending on the severity of the offense. Curry said offenders also face state and federal charges, including various misdemeanors and felonies.
Powell hopes his law will "protect our firefighters so that they can do their job and keep us safe." The bill does, however, offer exemptions for public agencies and media personnel flying drones, after they gain permission from the incident commander for a specific wildfire.
Marshall Wright of the Mountain West Unmanned Systems Alliance, a group that works to certify commercial drone fliers, collaborated with legislators as they drafted the new regulations. He said many beginner drone fliers don't understand the rules and make unintentional mistakes.
For instance, all drones weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds must be registered in accordance with federal aviation laws. Drones also must not be flown above 400 feet, in crowded venues (such as at parks and in parades) or out of the owner's eyesight. The intention behind these parameters, Wright said, is to keep the unmanned aircraft from harming people.
More instructions for drones are available at KnowBeforeYouFly.org.
Rep. Kay Christofferson, R-Lehi, said an important component of the new rules is communicating them effectively.
"We don't want to inhibit the advancement of technology," he said. "The key to this, and to the responsible use of drones, is education."
Twitter: @CourtneyLTanner