Private drones are interfering with aerial firefighting efforts as death toll rises in LA wildfires: officials

Private drones being flown near the wildfires consuming Los Angeles County continued to interfere with aerial firefighting efforts Saturday evening, according to officials, as the death toll from the flames rises.

Officials have detected 48 privately owned drones flying over the fires since the infernos erupted Tuesday, Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief Robert Harris said during a briefing Saturday evening.

"When those privately owned drones are detected, we have to pause firefighting activities...