Image: SA Country Fire Service
As a major bushfire continues to burn out of control at Tooperang in South Australia, authorities are issuing a timely reminder to recreational drone operators: keep your drone on the ground. With firefighting aircraft working around the clock to protect lives, homes and farmland, even a single drone in the air can force emergency aircraft to stop operations — putting crews at risk and slowing critical response efforts when they’re needed most.
Emergency firefighting operations were recently disrupted after aircraft responding to a fire were forced to divert due to a recreational drone being flown in the area.
South Australia Police issued an alert after the drone was detected near the incident, grounding aerial firefighting efforts and placing both air and ground crews at increased risk. The diversion delayed critical response activities.
Authorities have again reminded the public that flying drones near emergency situations is both illegal and dangerous. While capturing footage may seem harmless, unauthorised drone activity can prevent lifesaving aircraft from operating, jeopardising pilots, firefighters and members of the public.
South Australian Country Fire Service State Duty Officer James Honner said their entire operations are halted if a drone is spotted and this puts lives in danger.
“We can’t emphasise enough how dangerous it is to fly drones near fires; it delays lifesaving efforts and puts our crews and the public at risk,” he said.
“We will cease aerial firefighting immediately if an unauthorised drone is sighted near a fire or other incident being attended by CFS aircraft.
“Keep your drone on the ground when emergency services are nearby.”
Emergency services say the rule is simple: if emergency aircraft are operating, drones must stay on the ground. This applies to bushfires, floods, traffic accidents, rescue missions and any other emergency response.
What recreational drone operators need to know:
- Do not fly over or near emergency operations.
- Do not fly near bushfires, floods, traffic accidents, or rescue operations.
- Do not interfere with firefighting aircraft.
Drone safety regulations and rules must be followed and are enforced nationwide.
These rules apply everywhere and are designed to protect everyone:
- If emergency services are operating nearby, keep your drone on the ground.
- For everyone’s safety, respect the airspace, follow the laws, and let emergency crews do their job.
- Always check your local fire authority for current warnings and updates.
Drone operators must also follow environmental laws to protect wildlife, including strict distance rules around marine mammals, which vary by state.
For the latest updates, residents are advised to monitor official warnings via the CFS website or contact the Information Hotline on 1800 362 361.
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