Multiple times this fire season firefighting aircraft had to be grounded because of drones.

It is now against the law in California to fly the unmanned aircraft near a wildland fire.

“Wildfires continue to ravage our state and we can’t have drones or anything else getting in the way of the first-class emergency response we get from all of our firefighters and public safety officers. These are life-and-death situations where a single delay can lead to tragedy,” state Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado, said in a statement.

Gaines sponsored the legislation that was signed this week by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Senate Bill 807 will grant civil immunity to an emergency responder who damages an unmanned aircraft in the course of firefighting, air ambulance, or search-and-rescue operations.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report