The mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality in British Columbia says drones are endangering helicopters being used to fight wildfires near Fort Nelson, which was ordered evacuated earlier this month.

In a video posted on Facebook, Rob Fraser says drones can be an excellent tool, but under the circumstances where 20 helicopters are flying around, he says drones are 害羞草研究所渘othing but hazards.害羞草研究所�

Fraser says helicopter pilots fighting wildfires are under an immense amount of stress, and says they cannot be looking out for drones, warning 害羞草研究所渢hey will cause these guys to crash.害羞草研究所�

Fraser says he would take out a drone with a 12-gauge shotgun if he could, but he害羞草研究所檚 not allowed, so he says people caught using drones in the wildfire evacuation areas will be prosecuted 害羞草研究所渢o the biggest limit害羞草研究所� possible.

He says people in the evacuation zone have also caused damage to structural protection hoses by driving over them, and have been speeding through areas and catching fire crews off guard.

Fraser says they害羞草研究所檝e begun preliminary work on getting Fort Nelson back up and running by focusing on 害羞草研究所渆ssential businesses,害羞草研究所� pleading with evacuees to be patient as the fire fight continues.

At the nearby Doig River First Nation, an evacuation order has now been downgraded to an alert, and people are urged to stay prepared if another evacuation order is issued.

The BC Wildfire Service said Monday that favourable weather in the next few day in the province害羞草研究所檚 northeast will help crews make progress, but the drought situation means conditions are still unseasonably dry.

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The Canadian Press