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Drone flying near Goodwin Fire forces grounding of aircraft fire operations

Published  June 29, 2017 3:10pm MST
FOX 10 Phoenix

MAYER, Ariz. (KSAZ) - A drone was spotted over the Goodwin Fire Wednesday evening, halting all aircraft including fire operations.

Whenever a drone is in the area, all air operations must be grounded, thus delaying firefighting.

Fox 10's own helicopter, SkyFox, had to leave the area.

It's illegal to fly a drone over a wildfire and is considered in the 'No Drone Zone.' If caught flying one near a wildfire, pilots could face charges.

As of Wednesday evening, the Goodwin Fire is at about 21,000 acres burned with 1 percent containment. Evacuations continue in nearby areas.