The modern world is plagued with idiots who think they are journalists or ‘content providers’. The difference between amateurs and professionals is that pros do not cause damage fire fighting planes.
An idiot with a drone who thought they were providing a service by providing drone footage of the LA fires, managed to make the situation worse. One of the aeroplanes used to dump water on the fires was damaged by a drone operated by an imbecile. The aeroplane had to abort its mission of delivering another load of water to try and control the fires in Los Angeles to be repaired. It maybe out of action for a while which will impact the effort to control the wildfires.
Presumably the idiot controlling the drone monetizes their ‘content’. It they had any integrity, which these sort of amateurs don’t, they would contact the police and offer to cover the repair cost.
LA police are trying to found out who was flying the drone, The L.A. Times reported, and the incident is under investigation by the FAA. The L.A. Fire Department warned that flying a drone during firefighting efforts is punishable by up to 12 months in jail or a $75,000 fine.