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

A significant wildfire in Northern California, known as the Elephant Fire, has expanded to over twice the area of Beverly Hills, following reports that an unauthorized drone disrupted firefighting efforts.

By Monday morning, the blaze had consumed 6,436 acres north of Loyalton and Highway 49, with containment at only 5%. Evacuation orders and warnings were in place for areas within Lassen and Plumas counties.

On Sunday, firefighting operations were temporarily suspended when the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office received reports of an unauthorized drone in restricted airspace. The drone’s presence delayed efforts to combat the fire.

According to FOX40, deputies responded, identified the drone operator, and confirmed the drone no longer posed a threat, allowing firefighting aircraft to resume their efforts.

Investigators found that the drone interfered with firefighting efforts by flying above the legal altitude and operating within airspace closed under a Temporary Flight Restriction for wildfire suppression. The sheriff’s office is coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration as the investigation continues. Once finalized, the case will be sent to the Sierra County District Attorney’s Office for review and potential criminal charges.

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The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office emphasizes that flying a drone near an active wildfire is both dangerous and illegal. Unauthorized drone flights can force firefighting aircraft to halt until the airspace is confirmed clear, delaying firefighting efforts and risking the safety of both firefighters and the public, officials warned.

Evacuation orders remain in effect as officials describe the situation as an immediate threat to life. The area is officially closed to public access, with evacuation orders issued for zones LAS-451-A, LAS-671-B, PLU-104-A, and PLU-144.