A firefighting aircraft flying over the Palisades fire in Los Angeles collided with a drone on Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration said, warning that flying drones can disrupt firefighting efforts and endanger lives.
The plane landed safely after the incident, said the F.A.A., which will investigate the episode. The collision damaged a wing and put the plane out of commission, said Chris Thomas, a Cal Fire spokesman.
The blazes that broke out this week in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas were fueled by fierce winds that initially prevented aircraft from taking off safely. Once conditions improved, dozens of helicopters and planes joined the fight to contain the fires. More were on the way Thursday night, the authorities said.
The F.A.A. has imposed temporary flight restrictions in the Los Angeles area while firefighters work to contain the fires. The agency said Thursday that it has not authorized anyone who is not involved in the firefighting operations to fly drones in the restricted zones. Despite the restrictions, many videos of the Southern California fires purported to be from drones, have been posted on social media this week.
Flight restrictions are often imposed by the F.A.A. when wildfires break out, and the authorities have warned for years about the threat posed by drones to firefighting aircraft. Authorities often ground firefighting planes if drones are spotted in the area.
In September, at least two drone incursions were reported as firefighters battled the Line fire in Southern California.
