• A Super Scooper firefighting plane was grounded after hitting a drone in the skies over LA.
• It's one of only two Super Scooper planes helping fight the wildfires ravaging the area.
• The FAA has placed flight restrictions over much of LA's airspace since Thursday afternoon.

One of only two Super Scooper planes helping to fight the Los Angeles wildfires has been taken out of action after it collided with a drone on Thursday.

In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said that the aircraft landed safely, but LA County's fire chief, Anthony Marrone, said it was damaged in the encounter.

"A small drone hit the wing of our CL-415 Super Scooper aircraft" at the Palisades Fire, Marrone said at a press conference Friday.

"The pilots were unaware that they hit the drone until they landed," he said. Maintenance workers spotted a "fist-sized hole in the leading edge of the wing," Marrone said.

The LA Times had earlier reported the grounding, citing its own interview with Marrone.

The aircraft, named the Quebec 1, struck the drone at about 1 p.m. Thursday, according to the LA County Fire Department.

Marrone said at the press event that the plane was getting urgent repairs and ought to be flying again by Monday.

Fire services have been operating two Canadair CL-415 firefighting aircraft, known as Super Scoopers, as well as several other aircraft, to combat the massive wildfires ravaging Southern California.

The planes are fitted with tanks that skim large bodies of water to "scoop" water up and then drop it on fires from above.

"Flying a drone near a wildfire is dangerous and can cost lives," the FAA said in its statement, adding that it's a federal crime to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands, punishable by up to a year in prison.

There's also a civil penalty of up to $75,000 for drone operators who interfere with emergency and wildfire responders during temporary flight restrictions, it said.

Marrone echoed that warning Friday, saying that flying a drone near the fire is "not only dangerous, it's illegal."

He said that if more drones are spotted, firefighters would have to ground their flights again, hampering their work.

At 4:18 p.m. local time on Thursday, the FAA issued the first of three Notice to Airmen flight-operating restrictions over large areas above the fires to allow firefighting aircraft to operate.

The FAA statement said: "When people fly drones near wildfires, fire response agencies often ground their aircraft to avoid the potential for a midair collision.

"Delaying airborne response poses a threat to firefighters on the ground, residents, and property in nearby communities, and it can allow wildfires to grow larger."

Chris Thomas, a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesperson, told the military-news site The War Zone that the damaged Super Scooper was one of only two in Cal Fire's arsenal.

He added that other aircraft fighting the blazes had been temporarily grounded as well.

"This is creating a huge danger," Thomas added. "This is an unprecedented fire. When we ground all aircraft, it could be anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour. You know how far a fire can spread in half an hour."

As of Friday, almost 36,000 acres were burning, according to official figures.

The drone operator has not been identified, but there has been speculation online, with many social media users pointing to photography accounts that have posted aerial images of the fires.

Marrone warned that federal officials were monitoring the area and had the ability to identify who was flying drones.

Consumer drones hit the headlines last month after a spate of drone sightings over the East Coast raised public anxiety, even after the White House and Pentagon said the drones didn't pose a threat.

• At 360 pounds, Clark Valery felt less efficient in his role as a volunteer firefighter.
• The 38-year-old was motivated to lose weight after the death of a friend from a heart attack.
• He shed 140 pounds and is in much better shape to tackle fires in his town.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Clark Valery, 38, an assistant manager at a pharmacy chain and volunteer firefighter from New York. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Since I lost 140 pounds, people have not recognized me. They're shocked because they've seen me as super heavy, and now, within the space of a year, I'm much thinner.

One person only realized it was me when I started talking, and they recognized my voice.

My weight loss has changed my life. I am healthier and happier. Best of all, I feel more energetic and effective as a volunteer firefighter.

I didn't have weight issues growing up. In high school, I was active in football, wrestling, and track. But as I got older, I became bigger and bigger.

I didn't pay much attention to it. Still, looking back, I had unhealthy habits like eating late at night and piling my plate.

I had shortness of breath

My mom did most of the cooking — she'd make things like pasta and rice and beans — and I overate. Then, after she died from dementia in 2012, I began to eat fast food from McDonalds and KFC.

I'd order two Big Macs, 20-piece chicken nuggets, two large fries, and a soda. I'd go to my favorite Mexican restaurant and eat eight tacos. The portions could have fed four people.

My excess weight caused shortness of breath and a sense of being uncomfortable with myself. Nevertheless, in 2018, I felt motivated enough to volunteer as a firefighter in my town.

There was no judgment at the firehouse. They accepted me as who I was. I'd workout with the other members when we met twice a week, but my heart wasn't really in it. Still, I knew I was a good firefighter because of my endurance skills.

However, as time went by, I began to think I wasn't contributing enough. My biggest downfall was climbing ladders. I'd get to the ladder, and it would say the weight limit was 250 pounds. I knew I exceeded that.

I was concerned about a scenario in which I got stranded in a fire, and the guys wouldn't be able to pull out a 400-pound person. It wasn't fair to put them in danger.

The wake-up call came in 2023 when a friend died of a heart attack. Other people who seemed to be in good shape told me they had heart conditions. I looked at myself in the mirror. My family had suffered enough with the death of my mom. I had to change my lifestyle.

I eat healthier now

Thankfully, a friend introduced me to WeightWatchers. At 5ft 8in tall, I weighed 360 pounds. My friend motivated me by saying we could lose weight together.

We went to meetings every week. I was religious about it. I wanted to learn and educate myself. The point system was a major key for me. I realized I'd been eating the equivalent of all my daily points in just one meal.

I completely changed my diet. For breakfast, I'd have scrambled eggs on a whole-grain English muffin with a small piece of sausage.

Lunch and dinner would be something like grilled chicken with salad or vegetables. The best thing I did was substitute cauliflower rice for regular rice. I also stopped drinking alcohol.

My body adapted, and the weight came off. I recently started doing a full-body workout five times a week at the gym. I'll do at least 45 minutes of cardio, followed by weights.

I was delighted when I hit just over 220 pounds. It took 11 months to get to my current weight. My shortness of breath doesn't happen anymore. I feel more involved and impactful as a firefighter. I'm no longer scared by the ladder. The guys seem to respect me more because I take a bigger role.

My waist size has gone from 50 inches to 36 inches. I was a 5X, but now I fit a large. I'm still going to WeightWatchers with my friend. It's improved my social life because I've got to know other people in the group.

My weight loss has opened up a lot of opportunities for me. I'm a new man.

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