Photo: CTV

B.C. firefighters have a new weapon in the war against flames.

Victoria firefighters, for the first time, used an unmanned aerial drone equipped with a thermal camera this week.

The drone was pressed into service Monday.

Victoria Deputy Fire Chief Dan Atkinson said the trajectory of modern firefighting changed.

“This is the future,” he told CTV News. "It allows us to see through things like smoke, the ability to see in darkness. It allows us to see hot spots and areas of concern.”

The drone cost roughly $25,000 and is equipped with a state-of-the-art thermal imaging camera, which allows fire crews on the ground to see hot spots in real time.

“It is going to result in property saved, it’s going to result in a higher level of safety and even lives saved," said Atkinson.

-with files from CTV Vancouver Island