As northern Utah’s 800-acre Honeyville Fire remained untamed Monday, authorities urged the public to exercise some common sense and self-control.
The blaze erupted Sunday afternoon along State Route 38, roughly 70 miles north of Salt Lake City and 25 miles southwest of Logan. Initially, it was believed human-caused, though a series of thunderstorms and lightning also rolled through the region during the mid-afternoon hours.
As crews from Box Elder County, state and federal firefighters sought Monday to improve on 25 percent containment of the flames, Fire Information Officer Mitch Zundel also noted an incident Sunday in which someone illegally flew a drone into the area.
For the safety of the firefighters, “keep your drones at home,” he pleaded, noting the area over the fire has been declared a “no fly” zone for all but official firefighting aircraft.
Under state law, authorities have the right to electronically jam the signals of the radio-controlled drones, and crash them, if they entered restricted airspace over an active fire.
Federal laws, including civil penalties up to $25,000 and possible criminal prosecution, also apply to the blaze, which has burned into the Cache National Forest.
No injuries have been reported among the 40 firefighters on the lines, and no structural losses recorded as the blaze continued to burn in high desert range and timber wilderness.