As many of you are aware, wildfire season has started across the western United States. Wildfires are very dangerous, even from the air, and we wanted to remind everyone to please check Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) in your area and avoid flying anywhere near these fires or firefighting operations.
TFRs allow first responders to do their jobs unimpeded and without danger to their aerial support. Please remember that violating a TFR may endanger the safety of the operation, and in some cases may ground search and rescue crews until the airspace is cleared, allowing the wildfire to spread. TFRs also sometimes pop up quickly and it is important to check them frequently, especially if you live near an area susceptible to these fires.
We want to thank all AMA members for monitoring and respecting TFRs. At the same time, it is important that we also help spread the word and educate newcomers to the hobby about where they should and should not fly. That’s why we are working with the FAA and the Know Before You Fly campaign to ensure more flyers understand and follow TFRs at all times. Please click here to view a drone wildlife poster to print and share with your local members and hobbyist community.
For more information, visit the UAS and wildfires page on the Know Before You Fly website or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s active fire map. You can also read FAA’s Special Advisory and for additional questions on TFRs, please contact the FAA flight service at (800) 992-7433.
Attention this is for all you that have no regard for anyone or anything and think you are so great with more crummy aerial video on you tube. First off no one cares secondly, you will go to jail and I hope you are prosecuted to the greatest extent of the law and your name is plastered all over the place. No put away your toy and go read a book.
The kind of people you talk about are the last people to read this site. You are preaching to the choir.
I suppose it’s ironic then that AMA does not list TFRs for firefighting on its “NOTAMS” page. Why not? According to the staff when I asked, despite applying to “all aircraft” the staff doesn’t list them because they don’t specifically say “model aircraft.” Last time I checked, per FAA, model aircraft are indeed a subset of “all aircraft.”