The Chetamon wildfire is seen burning beside Mount Greenock, left, in Jasper National Park in a Sept. 7, 2022, handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Parks Canada *MANDATORY CREDIT*
JASPER, ALTA. – A man who flew a drone near a wildfire in Jasper National Park has received a $10,000 fine.
Judge Jeffrey Champion doled out the penalty to Rajwinder Singh under the Canada National Parks Act in provincial court Thursday and gave him until June 8, 2023, to pay the fine.
The details of the fine were confirmed by a provincial court spokesperson.
Flying a drone in a national park is illegal and carries a maximum fine of $25,000.
It’s also illegal to fly an aircraft, including a drone, within 9.3 kilometres of a forest fire without permission under Canadian Aviation Regulations.
Wardens in Jasper National Park seized four drones and charged four people under the National Parks Act for flying too close to the Chetamon wildfire in September.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2022.
