Private drone operators and hobbyists should stay clear of fire emergency operations or risk of collision with emergency aircraft, the CFA has warned.
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The warning comes from Horsham CFA, who issued a statement urging drone operators to avoid flying near emergency fire sites.
Drones can pose a risk to emergency response aircraft, in a similar way to cars blocking fire trucks on the road.
CFA District 17 commander Lindsay Barry said while the majority of drone operators fly safely, as the popularity of drones increases, so does the likelihood of drone interference in CFA operations.
He said District 17 have received reports of drones around fires in the Wimmera, which interrupted emergency response planning.
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"What drones do on fire grounds is just like what drones do on an airfield, they create a mechanical hazard for the people flying the aircraft," Commander Barry said.
"No different to a bird. If a bird enters into the mechanical moving parts of an aircraft, it creates a strike, it can deliver damage to that aircraft, put it out of service and in the worst case scenario can cause the aircraft to crash."
Commander Barry said aircraft have become a vital tool to the CFA in the suppression of a fire.
CFA currently has a fleet of 50 aircraft, ranging from helicopters to fixed wing water bombers and reconnaissance aircraft, which report information back to fire headquarters.
The CFA has a drone fleet available to it through Fire Rescue Victoria, which it uses in a range of thermal imaging situations.
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Fire Rescue Victoria recently deployed drones in the Dooen landfill fire to create thermal imaging patterns with infrared cameras. With drones, the CFA were able to local hot spots inside the landfill to extinguish.
Drones can also be used to provide fire crews with real time footage of fires that would have been inaccessible otherwise, such as in factory or hazardous chemical fires.
Commander Barry said it is important the public are aware of the hazards drones can create in fire response situations, and how important a secure airspace is for fighting fires.
"It doesn't matter if it is a little drone or a larger one, it still has potential to interrupt vital firefighting efforts," Commander Barry said.
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"That is why emergency services and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority have a policy around the lawful use of drones, and that they shouldn't be used around fires or emergency incidents."
The CFA has called on the public to help monitor any unlawful drone use that occurs during incidents.
"If you witness a drone being flown unsafely with close proximity to a fire, do not hesitate to report the issue to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority," Commander Barry said.
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