Rep. Janelle Bynum’s bipartisan wildfire safety bill passes committee

Washington, DC (KTVZ) -- Oregon Congresswoman Janelle Bynum’s bill to improve safety during wildfire response is moving forward in Washington, D.C.

The Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act, co-sponsored by Bynum (OR-05) and Representatives Eli Crane (AZ-02), Joe Neguse (CO-02), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), passed through committee without opposition. The bipartisan legislation focuses on reducing risks from unauthorized drones flying through restricted airspace during active wildfires.

When drones enter those restricted zones, firefighting aircraft are often forced to land to avoid collisions, causing delays in containment efforts. In Oregon and across the country, that’s become a recurring issue — including during last year’s Flat Fire in Central Oregon, when response times were affected by a drone incident.

The bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to study the impact of drone incursions on wildfire suppression and identify ways to deter unauthorized drone activity.

Bynum said protecting firefighters and speeding up the wildfire response are top priorities. “That’s why I introduced the Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act — to put the safety of our forests, our firefighters, and our airspaces over random drones in the sky,” she said.

The legislation now heads to the full House for consideration.