House passes Curtis bill to study drone trespassing on wildfire fighting efforts

The U.S. House of Representatives last week approved bipartisan legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) to coordinate a federal and state study that examines the risks and effects of drone incursions on fighting wildfires. 

The House on Dec. 10 voted 382-6 to pass the Aerial Incursion Repercussion (AIR) Safety Act of 2020, H.R. 5040, which Rep. Curtis introduced in November 2019 with cosponsor U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA). 

If enacted, the legislation would direct the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Department Agriculture’s Forest Service, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to work with their state forestry partners to conduct a study on how drone trespassing has affected wildfire suppression and costs and to recommend potential solutions. 

When a wildfire breaks out, the FAA sets up Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) around the perimeter to allow aerial firefighters full access to the fire. “Unfortunately, when people ignore these TFRs and fly their drones around the fire, fire managers must ground their own drones and helicopters until the incursion is clear,” said Rep. Curtis on the House floor prior to its vote. “This wastes valuable time and money, putting structures and lives at risk.”

H.R. 5040 would bring attention to the issue and help determine the best ways to avoid future drone incursions, said the congressman, who serves on the National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee on the House Natural Resources Committee. 

“In the last few years, Utah and the rest of the West have been battling extreme wildfires,” Rep. Curtis said. “Our federal land managers, and state and local partners, need every tool available to put these fires out.”