Yeah, it's very difficult. The problem in this area is the Santa Ana winds, which blow across the Mojave and out to sea. The air is warm and incredibly dry, any biomass in its path (mostly shrubs and grass) are dried out to the point of nearly spontaneous ignition.
I'd be pretty weary of using drones, I doubt they'd be very effective with a limited water supply (these fires can spread tens or even hundreds of yards in a couple of minutes) and probably pose a fire risk themselves. Video feed fire towers and AI to watch them would probably be a decent approach.