(Article) Recent Brush Fires Prompt BLM Land Closures: What Shooters on Public Lands Can do to Reduce Fire Risks

Recent Brush Fires Prompt BLM Land Closures: What Shooters on Public Lands Can do to Reduce Fire Risks

Although the cause of the Gate Fire near San Diego has not been determined as of yet, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has instituted an early ban on recreational target shooting on over 4 million acres of public lands. The fast-moving 2,000 acre brushfire which started near a popular shooting range and a video of target shooters posted to Instagram has led to a criminal investigation. The fire season is fast approaching. Access to our public lands is seriously threatened by real and perceived negative connotations of the practice of recreational target shooting. I thought it wise to look into the ways that we can all implement fire-safe practices when afield on public lands. Here is a list of precautions that you should take when target shooting at all times. Being prepared is the key. Once a brush-fire begins you really have mere seconds to act to prevent it from fast becoming a full-fledged wildfire like the Gate fire.

1.    Remember that vehicles can start brushfires – Always park your vehicle on a surface that is clear of dry brush. The car’s exhaust system is equipped with a catalytic convertor that normally operates between 550 and 1,600 degrees. Engine issues such as misfiring spark plugs, bad wires or leaking valves can raise that temperature to over 2,000 degrees. Since the vehicle’s exhaust system runs along the underside, near to the ground, parking in grass can lead to a fire. I’ve even heard of wildfires being caused by dragging safety chains used in towing of a trailer. Always take up enough slack so a steel chain can’t reach the ground and cause a spark.

2.    Tannerite (exploding targets) are becoming a big problem – There has been a disturbing trend over the last few years that poses a serious threat to the recreational target shooter’s ability to access public lands. This is the use of exploding targets, primarily binary combinations known as Tannerite. Although these types of targets have been banned in most western states for over ten years, you can still see evidence of their use littered across our shared spaces. Don’t do it. You can be convicted of a felony, have your gun rights taken away, be fined up to $10,000 dollars or even the total cost of suppressing the fire you caused. Besides, what wrong with basic reaction targets that don’t need explosions to let you know you hit the target? Fire is not your only concern. Youtube is full of videos of Tannerite accidents, one even amputating a shooters leg after he fired on a lawnmower filled with the stuff. Don’t mess with this stuff…..it’s not worth it.

3.    If you must, smoke in your vehicle - This may seem like a no-brainer, yet I can’t even count the times I’ve seen shooters smoking while standing knee-high in dry brush. Just like you are required to do in National parks, it’s a good practice to smoke in an enclosed vehicle and use your ashtray.

4.    Think before Placing Your Targets – Choose a cleared, level patch of ground that faces away from any nearby road, campground, trail or other hazardous area. Never place targets in high grass and try to back up the area with a natural berm or hillside.

5.    Avoid Steel Ammo – It should be self-explanatory but nonetheless, steel striking steel or even rock can cause a spark. These types of ammo are becoming scarce in the US due to their “perception” as armor piercing. Most ranges will check for steel and prohibits its use. Know your ammo. Most of the big US manufacturers don’t make any but many people wonder about imported rounds (particularly Russian or Chinese). The Clinton Administration banned steel cored imports years ago but there is still some remnants hanging around.

6.    Bring the Right Equipment – Recreational target shooters bring lots of things into the field; many things they shouldn’t. Yet, they fail to bring even the most basic equipment that can keep a small fire from becoming a large-scale disaster. Here’s what my kit looks like. All you need is two five-gallon buckets with lids, a small canvas tarp, and a shovel. Fill one five gallon with water and close the lid. In the other, store a 5x5 canvas tarp. Before shooting, carry all three items to your target area. If you notice smoke or a small fire starting for any reason it will be where you need it, not back at your vehicle. Then, you can pour some of your water into onto the tarp in your bucket. You’d be surprised how well a wet tarp works at beating down a fire. You still have the rest of the water and the shovel as back-ups.

7.    Tracer Ammo – Again let common sense prevail. Tracer ammo is any that is manufactured with a pyrotechnic charge in their bases allowing for visual confirmations of a shooter’s accuracy. These are combat rounds and have no place in the field for any reason, especially in our dry western lands. Besides, they are illegal and carry stiff penalties if you are caught.

8.    Check the area before leaving – I can’t stress this enough. A potential fire can smolder undetected for quite some time before erupting into flames. Leave yourself plenty of time to thoroughly walk the area and scan for any signs of trouble before packing your equipment and leaving.

9.    Don’t assume lead-core ammo won’t cause fires – Back in 2013, the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station conducted a series of tests using various ammunitions and found that although the risk is much higher with steel-cored rounds other ammo configurations (including lead) have the potential to cause an ignition. When any round strikes a steel target or ricochets off a rock or other solid, kinetic energy is transformed to thermal energy. There was one case last year in New Zealand where a target shooter who called in a wildfire is being fined $60,000 for the cost of putting it out. Many “experts” are coming to his aid claiming fire caused by lead rounds is impossible. However, the USFS studies show that although rare, it can happen. Choose sandy soils for backdrops rather than rocky areas to lessen the chance.

10. Clean up after yourself – This may not have a direct connection with fire prevention but I would regret having any discussion of target shooting without this plea. I feel like the tearful Native American in the old pollution spots on TV when I was a kid every time I enter our public lands and see the wanton littering, vandalism, and dumping. If we want to continue to use our public lands then we need to be good stewards of them and (at the very least) pick up our brass, our targets, and refrain from shooting trees, fences or anything other than basic targets. Do you really need to shoot a bowling ball to see what it looks like inside and then leave the fragmented mess to make the rest of us look bad? Bring a bin and pack out your trash. Heck, pack out a little extra, Lord knows there’s plenty of it out there. We are all representatives of the shooting community as a whole when we are afield and should act accordingly.

Just as in any outdoor activity, preparation and common sense go a long way toward ensuring that you’ll have a safe and enjoyable experience. For the recreational target shooter, it comes down to loading a few necessities, being aware and selective of your location, and respectful of the environment and others who share public lands with us. Do what you can to reduce the risks associated with human-caused wildfires and train the next generation in these practices as well.