Gaston County police say their drone team helped state and local crews get a handle on a fast-moving brush fire that scorched about 28 acres near Abel Road and Bess Town Road on March 11. County officials said on social media that high winds pushed the flames quickly and that several non-residential structures were caught up in the blaze. Drones outfitted with thermal sensors helped firefighters figure out where to focus containment as bulldozers traced and strengthened the fire’s edge.
Drone Imagery Helped Steer Dozer Crews
According to a Facebook update from the Gaston County Police, the department deployed drones with thermal imaging that delivered real-time overhead views so commanders could track the fire and make tactical calls on the fly. The post notes that the live feed helped incident leaders assign personnel and equipment more efficiently. Officials also credited the drone footage with helping bulldozer operators place and shore up containment lines in the right spots.
Tryonota Fire Department, which covers the western portion of Gaston County, regularly teams up with county and state crews on rural brush incidents and keeps brush and rescue apparatus ready for those calls. The volunteer department’s website lays out its service district and the range of responses its crews handle.
What Residents Should Know
The combination of aerial overwatch and bulldozers tracks closely with wildfire suppression tactics promoted by the N.C. Forest Service, which relies heavily on dozers and hand crews to cut containment lines and shield nearby structures. Local coverage of past Gaston County brush fires has also stressed that residents should not fly hobby drones near active scenes, since any extra aircraft in the area can put firefighting resources at risk and slow the response, WCCB reported. Officials say if you spot smoke, call 911 and give the fire crews plenty of room to work.
The department’s expanded drone program has been in the works for a while. On March 11, officials showed off a new mobile drone van at a demonstration, saying it will let teams run longer, more coordinated operations in the field. That extra capacity is intended to support extended incidents and large events where responders need sustained eyes in the sky, county officials have said.
