Drone pilot citation for violating Iron Fire closed air space.06/25/2026 10:39:43 am
UCSO Deputies located and cited a drone
pilot for violating the closed air space
of the Iron Fire in Utah County.
***Press release*** Date 25 JUNE 2026 Today at 2PM, members of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office detected a drone being flown in restricted air space around the Iron Fire in the Southwest corner of Utah County. UCSO Deputies were able to locate the private pilot that was operating the drone, again in restricted airspace, and issue the pilot a citation. We here are the Utah County Sheriff Office, along with our local, state, federal partners, and members of the media have repeatedly warned the public of the dangers of flying drones into restricted airspace during wildland fires and that it is unlawful to do so. Specially, how these actions require the grounding of firefighting air operations to ensure the safety of those aircrews. As a point of fact, earlier this week a drone incursion caused air operations to be grounded on the Iron fire. Under Utah Law 65A-3-2.5 it is unlawful to fly a drone into restricted airspace around an active wildland fire. A violation of that law is punishable by fines and potential imprisonment. If you are found violating this law, you will at the minimum issued a citation or potentially booked into the Utah County Jail depending on the totality of the incident. Do not fly a drone around any wildland fire.
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