Deschutes County deputies, FAA looking for owner of crashed drone illegally flown over Redmond wildfire
Barney Lerten
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County sheriff’s investigators and the Federal Aviation Administration are working to find the owner of a drone that was illegally flown over last week’s Euston Fire northwest of Redmond and crashed.
Sheriff Kent van der Kamp told KTVZ News on Wednesday that deputies were told by citizens a drone had crashed as it was circling the Euston Fire, which burned about 36 acres and threatened a dozen structures before its spread was stopped. The fire was declared fully contained Friday.
“They checked the area and found it (the drone) on the ground and running,” van der Kamp said. “They removed the battery for safety. We have been working with the FAA and Facebook Marketplace to identify the owner.”
“It appears to have been sold many times since it was registered by the original owner,” the sheriff continued. “It has not been re-registered with the FAA since it was first purchased.”
In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office said, “Flying drones near wildfires is illegal—and dangerous. When unauthorized drones enter wildfire airspace, firefighting aircraft are often grounded to prevent midair collisions. This delays critical air operations, puts ground crews and nearby residents at risk, and can allow fires to grow out of control.
“According to the National Interagency Fire Center: “If You Fly, We Can’t.”
“Even when no Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place, drone pilots must avoid wildfires. Interfering with firefighting efforts is a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison and civil penalties of up to $20,000.
“Your footage isn’t worth the lives or property it endangers,” the sheriff’s office post said. “Please help keep our firefighters and communities safe. Leave the skies clear.”
The sheriff told us Wednesday, “The Facebook community has been very helpful. We believe we are close to identifying the most recent buyer.”