A Quebec firefighting plane was hit by a drone while battling California wildfires

Wildfires in Los Angeles continue to rage, and firefighters from all over are stepping in to help. As a result, two planes from Quebec’s SOPFEU (the province’s forest fire protection agency) are in California. But things took a turn for the worse when one of them collided with a drone.

According to Captain Erik Scott of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the incident happened on Thursday afternoon while the SuperScooper Québec 1 was flying over an area over the Palisades.

The civilian drone, which wasn’t authorized to be in the area, hit the plane’s wing, causing damage that grounded the aircraft. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the plane is out of action for now.

Scott reiterated that flying drones in fire zones isn’t only dangerous; it’s also illegal, reminding people that doing so is a federal crime in the U.S., with penalties reaching up to $75,000 in fines or even a year in prison.

Since 1994, Quebec has been sending firefighting planes to Los Angeles as part of an agreement with California. This year, those planes have proven especially important as large fires burn through neighbourhoods like Palisades and Eaton Canyon, destroying thousands of acres and forcing over 153,000 people to evacuate.

The Canadian government has also stepped up. Earlier this week, Justin Trudeau announced that Canada was prepared to send 250 firefighters, along with aircraft and other resources.

Federal Civil Protection Minister Harjit Sajjan confirmed that the Canadian Forces are on standby to transport personnel and equipment.

The National Weather Service says a brief lull in high winds is expected over the weekend, but further intensification could occur between Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

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