7/8/2016 Wildland Fire Minute

Welcome to the July 8, 2016, Wildland Fire Minute! This is YOUR regular update on the latest wildfire conditions in the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks to cool weather and some rain in the Pacific Northwest, things are quiet on the fire front. A strong upper level trough will move into the region Friday and bring thunderstorms and strong winds over the weekend, but also showers, cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity. We could have lightning starts, but the potential for large fires remains low across the Northwest.

That said, we do have an issue to address. In the past week, we’ve had two instances on fires in Oregon and Washington where an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS or drone) has impacted aerial fire response. Wildland fire aircraft fly low and slow. Flying a private drone in a fire’s airspace poses a serious threat to our pilot’s safety. When a private drone grounds our aviation resources, it elevates the risk to firefighters, communities, and private property. Folks, not only is it illegal, it isn’t worth the view. Remember, if you fly, we can’t.

To learn more about the latest wildland fire conditions in the Pacific Northwest head on over to: http://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/

Video by Michael Campbell, BLM -- Graphics by Matt Christenson, BLM – Featuring Traci Weaver, BLM/U.S. Forest Service -- Drone footage from Toshio Suzuki, BLM.