Firefighters battling hundreds of blazes in British Columbia say they’ve faced more obstacles than usual because “irresponsible” people are interfering with operations.
The BC Wildfire Service says it is dealing with multiple people driving all-terrain vehicles around active fires, boaters interfering with seaplanes trying to collect water and, in one case, a drone forcing a halt to aerial work .
Fire Information Officer Donna MacPherson said Tuesday that these behaviors are impacting fire suppression efforts and putting firefighters and civilians alike at risk.
She added that such ground interference takes resources away from getting unwanted visitors out safely, and any delays in air support can affect the quality of firefighting.
“There are many ways in which irresponsible public behavior can impact the actual outcome our firefighters are trying to achieve,” she recalled.
In a statement, the department said there have been multiple reports of people riding ATVs around sites of active fires hampering heavy equipment operators and firefighters battling blazes in the Burns Lake area, in northwestern British Columbia.
Last weekend, aerial firefighting operations in northwestern British Columbia were temporarily suspended due to a drone flying near a wildfire.
Mme MacPherson said legally people should stay away from fire sites the same way it applies to places such as construction sites.
“The people constructing the building are responsible for ensuring not only that their own personnel are safe, but also that people do not enter their site without permission,” she explained.
“For us, our construction site is where we work. So basically if they see our equipment working, they have to come out,” she added.
Federal aviation laws prohibit drones from flying near wildfires, with penalties that include fines or even jail time. Interfering with a wildfire construction site could result in a $1,150 fine under provincial wildfire law, according to the service.
Mme MacPherson warned firefighters will not focus on what motivates people to break the rules, but will make it clear to anyone they find what they are doing is illegal.
They will also collect names, if possible, along with descriptions or other details to pass on to authorities, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), conservation officers and Ministry of Forestry staff, who may impose fines.
Officials were unable to provide details Tuesday on the number of fines issued this season.
Mme MacPherson said it’s unclear whether interference is a growing problem, but officials are making more of an effort to speak out publicly when it happens.
The province’s wildfire season set a new record Tuesday for total area burned in a year, with nearly 14,000 square kilometers scorched and hundreds of fires burning across the province.