Canadian plane fighting L.A. fires out of service after colliding with drone

Authorities in Los Angeles say a Quebec water bomber is out of service after colliding with a drone while fighting wildfires Thursday.

A pair of Quebec water bombers and their crews have been helping since Tuesday to fight the massive fires north of downtown L.A., which have killed at least 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures.

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The L.A. County Fire Department says the plane known as Quebec 1 was struck by a civilian drone at 1 p.m., sustaining wing damage.

There were no injuries, but the fire department says the water bomber is still grounded.

It says the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating, as flying drones in firefighting areas is a federal crime punishable by up to 12 months in prison or a fine of up to US$75,000.

Quebec planes are sent to California every fall as part of an annual contract that has been in place for more than 30 years.

— With files from The Associated Press.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2025.

The Canadian Press