California’s famous poppy fields attracted some chaos from the skies this week, officials said, as two visitors landed their helicopter in the middle of a rare super bloom.
Officials with the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve said in a statement that a helicopter flying over the reserve on Monday landed on the east side of it -- a direct violation of state regulations.
The unidentified pilot and his passenger exited the aircraft, but after a park ranger attempted to contact them, they climbed back into the aircraft and took off.
OFFICIALS SHUT DOWN ACCESS TO CALIFORNIA'S WALKER CANYON AMID ‘POPPY APOCALYPSE’
State law prohibits anyone from flying over or landing into any state park unless authorized by the Department of Parks and Recreation.
“We never thought it would be explicitly necessary to state that it is illegal to land a helicopter in the middle of the fields and begin hiking off-trail in the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve,” an official said on Facebook, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Hordes of people have rushed to Southern California to see the poppy fields in super bloom -- a rare sight that occurs about once a decade.
Just last week, officials were forced to close access to Walker Canyon after the crowd of people became too overwhelming, posing a potential threat to the flowers.
About 150,000 people rushed into a city of just about 60,000 residents.
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The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve posted tips to tourists on social media to help preserve the flowers -- hashtag #DontDoomTheBloom.
Officers were also handing out tickets to people who trampled the flowers after illegally entering the park.
Fox News' Kathleen Joyce contributed to this report.
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