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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-sopfeu-plane-grounded-1.7427777
A Quebec water bomber fighting the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles has been grounded after it collided with a drone flying in restricted airspace, officials said.
The collision left the CL-415 plane with a "sizable hole in its wing," said Christopher Thomas, a spokesperson with the California state firefighting agency, Cal Fire.
"Fortunately, they landed the plane without incident," Thomas said in an interview Friday.
The incident downed all aircraft fighting the fire for nearly half an hour on Thursday while officials made sure the skies were clear, he said.
"We all know how fast a fire can travel in half an hour. So this is a seriously dangerous situation because now that fire is able to go a little more unchecked," he said.
"This makes me very angry. It is extremely irresponsible and people could have been killed."
Laura Eimiller, a spokesperson for the FBI Los Angeles field office, told CBC News in an email that the incident is under investigation. The FBI's counter unmanned aircraft systems task force is in contact with the agency's local partners, she said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department released photos of the plane, including one showing the damage. It said the plane was struck by "a civilian drone."
Pilot says damage could've been catastrophic
Pilot Pascal Duclos was flying behind the plane when it collided with the drone. He said the damage could have been far worse — or even catastrophic — if the drone had been sucked into the air intake of the engine, or if the battery had caused a fire inside the wing, where the fuel is stored.
Pilots have also been dealing with high winds while making difficult scoops from the ocean. Quebec pilots have made up to 23 drops per day since Tuesday, and both the waves and winds have calmed somewhat, he said.
A Quebec water bomber fighting the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles has been grounded after it collided with a drone flying in restricted airspace, officials said.
The collision left the CL-415 plane with a "sizable hole in its wing," said Christopher Thomas, a spokesperson with the California state firefighting agency, Cal Fire.
"Fortunately, they landed the plane without incident," Thomas said in an interview Friday.
The incident downed all aircraft fighting the fire for nearly half an hour on Thursday while officials made sure the skies were clear, he said.
"We all know how fast a fire can travel in half an hour. So this is a seriously dangerous situation because now that fire is able to go a little more unchecked," he said.
"This makes me very angry. It is extremely irresponsible and people could have been killed."
Laura Eimiller, a spokesperson for the FBI Los Angeles field office, told CBC News in an email that the incident is under investigation. The FBI's counter unmanned aircraft systems task force is in contact with the agency's local partners, she said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department released photos of the plane, including one showing the damage. It said the plane was struck by "a civilian drone."
Pilot says damage could've been catastrophic
Pilot Pascal Duclos was flying behind the plane when it collided with the drone. He said the damage could have been far worse — or even catastrophic — if the drone had been sucked into the air intake of the engine, or if the battery had caused a fire inside the wing, where the fuel is stored.
Pilots have also been dealing with high winds while making difficult scoops from the ocean. Quebec pilots have made up to 23 drops per day since Tuesday, and both the waves and winds have calmed somewhat, he said.
