The FBI is looking for the operator of a privately owned drone that caused a hole in a Canadian firefighting aircraft.

The FBI Los Angeles is looking for the owner of a privately operated drone that crashed into a Canadian wildfire assistance plane in California.

On Thursday, a Canadian Air "Super Scooper" aircraft assisting in the suppression of California wildfires sustained damage after colliding with a privately owned drone over the Palisades Fire, as confirmed by Akil Davis, FBI assistant director of the Los Angeles Field Office.

According to Davis, the plane's wing had a 3-inch-by-6-inch hole caused by the crash.

During a wildfire, if an aircraft crashes, policy requires all planes in the area to evacuate, resulting in a much more severe impact, according to Davis.

""When incidents like that occur, they pose a significant threat to public safety and create dangerous situations for our first responders," Davis stated."

According to the FBI, parts of the drone have been recovered after an investigation was initiated.

""Since the incident, we have had more than 10 contacts with drone operators and have warned and fined them in previous years," Davis said."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposes a temporary flight restriction during wildfires, allowing the deployment of law enforcement-type drones and fire suppression aircraft.

The operation of drones without proper authorization poses a risk to life, as stated by Davis.

"These fires are so large that they require an exponential amount of resources to fight," he stated. "Using private drones for firefighting will divert resources away from saving homes and lives. If one of these drones crashes, it could be disastrous."

Once a drone is spotted, all fire suppression planes in the vicinity are temporarily grounded for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

The hold in Thursday's case was shorter, but it was still expensive due to the size of the fires and the resources required to keep up with the fast-moving inferno.

FAA restrictions are strictly enforced by ground intercept teams consisting of numerous agents, who will penalize pilots or operators who disregard them with fines or imprisonment, as stated by Davis.

"Drones pose a significant threat to law enforcement, and if you fly, we can't. Therefore, please be considerate and follow the law."

The public is being asked by authorities to help identify the operator of the faulty drone and other drones that are breaking airspace laws.

To help, call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips at FBI.gov/.