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San Bernardino County to offer $75,000 reward for info on drones that interfered with fires
File: A stand of trees go torch on the northern flank of the Lake Fire.
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Stuart Palley for KPCC
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A $75,000 reward has been set by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in hopes of convicting and prosecuting individuals who interfered with the ability for planes to help contain three fires in San Bernardino County.
Drone activity hampered and delayed aerial assaults on the Lake Fire, Mill Fire 2 and the North Fire. There will be $25,000 set aside for information on each of the fires, said James Ramos, chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors .
There will be a number that people can anonymously call to report information, Ramos said.
"We want to offer up this reward to gain information and prosecution of the individuals that have been involved in these acts," said Ramos. "But also to bring forth awareness that this is illegal activity."
A press conference is set for Wednesday morning with Sheriff John McMahon, San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos and other groups to release more details on the process. The conference will take place at the U.S. Forest Service San Bernardino Airtanker Base located at 2065 E. Perimeter Road at 9:30 a.m.
"It's illegal to fly drones in areas where fires are taking place, where first responders are responding, and it hinders their ability," Ramos said. "We believe that this issue is something that is going to be taken up at the national level."
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