Chaos in the skies: Drone sparks emergency landing during NJ wildfire battle

🔥The Buckabear Wildfire began burning Tuesday in a remote area of Passaic County

WEST MILFORD — Mayor Michele Dale said that helicopter flights over the fire to drop water were halted for a time on Wednesday because of unauthorized drone use.

The chopper had to make an emergency landing, according to the mayor. NJ Forest Fire Service spokesman Larry Hajna said the drone was spotted flying over the Buckabear Wildfire as the helicopter was making water drops.

"During a wildfire, Forest Fire Service aircraft fly low to the ground, often at the same altitude that a drone would fly, risking collision. If a drone is detected flying over or near a wildfire, all Forest Fire Service air support will be grounded - hampering suppression and observation efforts," Hajna said. The incident remains under investigation.

It is a federal crime punishable by a 12 month prison terms and a $20,000 fine.

The state Forest Fire Service is trying to determine how much impact Thursday night's rain had on the Buckabear Wildfire.

The fire that was first reported on Tuesday has burned 200 acres and is 60% contained as of 10:30 a.m. Friday.

New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said West Milford got a pretty good soaking from Thursday evening's thunderstorms, likely picking up an inch of fresh rainfall. It was the area's first measurable rain in exactly two weeks, since Aug. 21.

"Passaic County was the eastern edge of the truly heaviest swath of rain. Parts of Sussex and Warren counties in northwestern New Jersey tallied well over two inches of rain," Zarrow said, adding that more rain will come in Friday night and again late Saturday afternoon into the evening.

Drone threat

No businesses or homes are threatened by the fire. The Clinton Reservoir boat launch was closed by a fire located in a heavily wooded area near the reservoir

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