In the aftermath the FAA promised severe punishment for anyone caught flying drones in a way that interferes with firefighting, with penalties of up to 12 months in prison and $75,000 in fines. But the uncomfortable reality is that there is little that authorities can do to prevent illegal drone flights,

A pause in the fierce winds that super-charged the ring of wildfires that devastated Los Angeles this week helped crews make some progress in controlling the infernos on Friday (January 10), but strong gusts returning next week could resuscitate the flames.