07/19/2026
We are aware of drone footage taken inside the perimeter of Fort Frances 14, an active 55,106.3-hectare wildland fire currently being managed by one of two Ontario Incident Management Teams deployed in Northwestern Ontario.
This video, captured by a drone and posted online, is in contravention of Canadian Aviation Regulation 601.15, which prohibits aircraft, including drones of any weight category, from operating within 5 nautical miles (NM) of an active forest fire and below 3,000 feet above ground level (AGL).
Visit Transport Canada’s drone safety website to learn about these federal regulations: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/flying-your-drone-safely-legally
Before flying, visit Ontario’s interactive fire map (ontario.ca/fireupdates) to take note of confirmed active fires, and steer clear.
As a drone pilot, you must also be informed about active NOTAMs prior to launching drones of any weight category. Consult NavCanada’s Collaborative Flight Planning Services website under the ‘Weather and NOTAM’ tab, when flight planning.
When you fly a drone within 9.3 km of any active wildland fire, you are choosing to endanger the lives of our pilots, firefighters and other emergency responders. You are also breaking the law. Collisions between drones and aircraft can cause serious aviation incidents with firefighting aircraft that can result in injuries or death.
Please do not interfere with wildland fire suppression efforts, and please help us keep our personnel safe.