Firefighters in California are using more drones

Calif. (KIEM)- Firefighters in California are using more drones these days to help them get an up-close look at the fire and determine the best course of action to deal with it.

The drones give firefighters a real-time view of a fire without putting any pilots or crews at risk.

The companies that make the drones say that safety is the main goal.    

 “We can’t actually identify the size of the fire, the exact heat of the fire, that goes back to the experts in the California fire department to understand that,” said Peter Blocker, Director of tactical unmanned aircraft systems for L3 Harris. “What we are trying to do is provide them the intel for them to make smart decisions.”

The drones not only help firefighters get a better, safer view. They also help communication between the command center and the crews on the front lines.