Massive wildfire explodes to twice size of Beverly Hills — as fire chief erupts over shocking sabotage

A massive Northern California wildfire has exploded to more than twice the size of Beverly Hills after an alleged rogue drone forced firefighting aircraft out of the sky.

The Elephant Fire had scorched 6,436 acres north of Loyalton and Highway 49 by Monday morning and was just 5% contained as evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect across parts of Lassen and Plumas counties.

Firefighting efforts were temporarily halted Sunday after the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office received reports of an unauthorized drone flying in restricted airspace while aircraft were actively battling the blaze.

Deputies responded to the area, identified the drone operator, and ensured the device no longer posed a threat before firefighting aircraft could resume operations, FOX40 reported.

Investigators determined the drone was interfering with active firefighting aircraft, flying above the legal altitude limit, and operating within airspace closed under a Temporary Flight Restriction established for wildfire suppression efforts.

The sheriff’s office said it is coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration as the investigation continues. Once complete, the case will be forwarded to the Sierra County District Attorney’s Office for review and consideration of possible criminal charges.

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“The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that flying a drone near an active wildfire is both dangerous and illegal.

“Unauthorized drone flights can force firefighting aircraft to stop flying until the airspace is confirmed clear, delaying firefighting operations and jeopardizing the safety of firefighters and the public,” officials said.

Evacuation orders remain in effect as officials have described the situation as an Immediate threat to life. The area is lawfully closed to public access. Evacuation orders were issued for the following zones: LAS-451-A, LAS-671-B, PLU-104-A and PLU-144.