California officials: Don’t land helicopters on our poppies

LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) — California officials have a message for people eager to see a rare wildflower bloom: please don’t land your helicopter on our poppy fields.

The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve says Tuesday that a helicopter touched down in a flower field north of Los Angeles and two people got out and began hiking off trails.

When law enforcement officers approached them, they got back in the helicopter and flew away.

Officials said they never thought it would be necessary to state that it’s illegal to land aircraft in the middle of flower fields.

The Los Angeles Times says it’s unclear when the incident happened.

People have flocked to fields across Southern California in recent weeks to glimpse the so-called “super bloom” spawned by heavy winter rains.