Guns blamed for starting dozens of fires in the West

Post by **dbackjon** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:21 am

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Campfires, fireworks and even lit cigarettes can spark wildfires. In the tinder-dry West, there is growing concern about the threat from guns.

This year, officials believe target shooting or other firearms use sparked at least 21 wildfires in Utah and nearly a dozen in Idaho. Shooting is also believed to have caused fires in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

Those concerns come as states grapple with ways to cut the risk of new fires ahead of the Fourth of July holiday when many people fire their guns to celebrate the nation's independence.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z1zl3dYwJo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

GannonFan · Post by **GannonFan** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:31 am

Stupid is as stupid does.

ALPHAGRIZ1 · Post by **ALPHAGRIZ1** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:20 am

The left never ceases to amaze..............

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

Post by **dbackjon** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:40 am

ALPHAGRIZ1 wrote:The left never ceases to amaze..............

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

What is left/right about this?

Are you saying that it is perfectly accepible to fire guns into tinder dry brush?

That burning tens of thousands of acres/homes is no big deal?

Post by **Wedgebuster** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:12 am

I seriously doubt guns are starting fires

Post by **dbackjon** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:16 am

Wedgebuster wrote:I seriously doubt guns are starting fires

The shooting of them certainly is.

Post by **Wedgebuster** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:41 am

dbackjon wrote:
Wedgebuster wrote:I seriously doubt guns are starting fires

The shooting of them certainly is.

Never seen it happen Jon, ever. We have fire restrictions all over the county right now, and this is not that unusual, it gets dry enough around here for restrictions one out of three years, and never have they closed down our gun ranges, and never have I seen where a wildfire was traced back to a gun shot. Gotta remember that not only do I have plenty of firearms experience, but I am also a trained arson investigator and spent 17 years in the fire service.

This shit does not happen unless someone is going out of their way to make it happen, like shooting at exploding targets sitting on a haystack.

Honestly, I have never until now have seen this even come up. Don't fall for it.

Post by **Wedgebuster** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:49 am

Read the article, so they are now blaming the fires on steel jacketed bullets.

Something does not smell right with these guys.

Better get off the lead ban grandstanding then folks, I bet I could sit out there all day long shooting FMJ bullets out of my Mini-14 without starting a single fire, but the soft points would apparently be much more fire safe!!

I put ten fires started by folks in their pickups, ATVs, etc on their way out to do some shooting while flicking cigarette butts out the window for every "bullet" started fire.

Most of our fires up here were started by trees falling on power lines.

Post by **clenz** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:53 am

If someone would come up to me and ask "What's the most illogical way you could think of to start a wildfire?" my answer would be "Shooting a gun"

Gil Dobie · Post by **Gil Dobie** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:36 am

Maybe it's motorcycles, yeah that's the ticket.

Post by **dbackjon** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:13 pm

Wedgebuster wrote:Read the article, so they are now blaming the fires on steel jacketed bullets. Something does not smell right with these guys.

Better get off the lead ban grandstanding then folks, I bet I could sit out there all day long shooting FMJ bullets out of my Mini-14 without starting a single fire, but the soft points would apparently be much more fire safe!!

I put ten fires started by folks in their pickups, ATVs, etc on their way out to do some shooting while flicking cigarette butts out the window for every "bullet" started fire.

Most of our fires up here were started by trees falling on power lines.

So they Govenor of Utah is making stuff up?

Parts of the West are so dry that it doesn't take a lot to get a fire started.

A man was arrested here in Phoenix for starting a fire that blackened 18,000 acres - he admits the fire started while shooting a gun. In this case, the idiot was shooting a Dragon Breath round.

Post by **clenz** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:16 pm

dbackjon wrote:
Wedgebuster wrote:Read the article, so they are now blaming the fires on steel jacketed bullets. Something does not smell right with these guys.

Better get off the lead ban grandstanding then folks, I bet I could sit out there all day long shooting FMJ bullets out of my Mini-14 without starting a single fire, but the soft points would apparently be much more fire safe!!

I put ten fires started by folks in their pickups, ATVs, etc on their way out to do some shooting while flicking cigarette butts out the window for every "bullet" started fire.

Most of our fires up here were started by trees falling on power lines.

So they Govenor of Utah is making stuff up?

Parts of the West are so dry that it doesn't take a lot to get a fire started.

A man was arrested here in Phoenix for starting a fire that blackened 18,000 acres - he admits the fire started while shooting a gun. In this case, the idiot was shooting a Dragon Breath round.

In that case shooting the gun didn't cause the fire.....

However, I'm not sure you see the difference.

Post by **dbackjon** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 1:57 pm

clenz wrote:
dbackjon wrote:

So they Govenor of Utah is making stuff up?

Parts of the West are so dry that it doesn't take a lot to get a fire started.

A man was arrested here in Phoenix for starting a fire that blackened 18,000 acres - he admits the fire started while shooting a gun. In this case, the idiot was shooting a Dragon Breath round.
In that case shooting the gun didn't cause the fire.....

However, I'm not sure you see the difference.

And in many other cases, a regular bullet sparked the fire.

Not sure YOU see that.

Post by **Wedgebuster** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:03 pm

dbackjon wrote:
Wedgebuster wrote:Read the article, so they are now blaming the fires on steel jacketed bullets. Something does not smell right with these guys.

Better get off the lead ban grandstanding then folks, I bet I could sit out there all day long shooting FMJ bullets out of my Mini-14 without starting a single fire, but the soft points would apparently be much more fire safe!!

I put ten fires started by folks in their pickups, ATVs, etc on their way out to do some shooting while flicking cigarette butts out the window for every "bullet" started fire.

Most of our fires up here were started by trees falling on power lines.

So they Govenor of Utah is making stuff up?

Parts of the West are so dry that it doesn't take a lot to get a fire started.

A man was arrested here in Phoenix for starting a fire that blackened 18,000 acres - he admits the fire started while shooting a gun. In this case, the idiot was shooting a Dragon Breath round.

Fully trustworthy!

Post by **grizzaholic** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:10 pm

dbackjon wrote:
clenz wrote: In that case shooting the gun didn't cause the fire.....

However, I'm not sure you see the difference.

And in many other cases, a regular bullet sparked the fire.

Not sure YOU see that.

Post by **BlueHen86** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:28 pm

I think we need to get the Mythbusters guys on this.

Post by **grizzaholic** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:30 pm

BlueHen86 wrote:I think we need to get the Mythbusters guys on this.

They were shooting black powder guns with crappy wads and too much powder. Go figure.

Post by **clenz** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:32 pm

grizzaholic wrote:
BlueHen86 wrote:I think we need to get the Mythbusters guys on this.
They were shooting black powder guns with crappy wads and too much powder. Go figure.

Ah...so it wasn't firing the gun. It was acting irresponsibly.

Post by **grizzaholic** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:34 pm

clenz wrote:
grizzaholic wrote:
They were shooting black powder guns with crappy wads and too much powder. Go figure.
Ah...so it wasn't firing the gun. It was acting irresponsibly.

I don't know. Just thought, since this thread has no facts, I would support it with some half-truths, false-hoods, and out right lies.

ALPHAGRIZ1 · Post by **ALPHAGRIZ1** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:05 pm

dbackjon wrote:
ALPHAGRIZ1 wrote:The left never ceases to amaze..............

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

What is left/right about this?

Are you saying that it is perfectly accepible to fire guns into tinder dry brush?

That burning tens of thousands of acres/homes is no big deal?

The left is using people like you to further their agenda. You couldnt start a fire with a bullet if you were firing at full 5 gallon gas cans..........

Post by **BlueHen86** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:06 pm

ALPHAGRIZ1 wrote:
dbackjon wrote:

What is left/right about this?

Are you saying that it is perfectly accepible to fire guns into tinder dry brush?

That burning tens of thousands of acres/homes is no big deal?

The left is using people like you to further their agenda. You couldnt start a fire with a bullet if you were firing at full 5 gallon gas cans..........

More stuff for Mythbusters. This could be a great episode.

Post by **clenz** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:35 pm

BlueHen86 wrote:
ALPHAGRIZ1 wrote:

The left is using people like you to further their agenda. You couldnt start a fire with a bullet if you were firing at full 5 gallon gas cans..........
More stuff for Mythbusters. This could be a great episode.

Already done that one...hes right you can't without ammo like dragons breath

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

CID1990 · Post by **CID1990** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:02 pm

dbackjon wrote:
clenz wrote: In that case shooting the gun didn't cause the fire.....

However, I'm not sure you see the difference.

And in many other cases, a regular bullet sparked the fire.

Not sure YOU see that.

Going to have to go with Wedgie on this one. No way standard shooting is starting fires, even in the driest conditions.

If someone is using incendiary ammunition then that's no different from throwing lit paper towels into dry leaves, and maybe even borderline intentional.

We could ban cigarettes, electricity, guns, outdoor grills, guns, and we could all walk around in body condoms (Im sure you'd like that, Jon) and we will still have forest fires. They are naturally occurring, and even necessary to many ecosystems.

Gil Dobie · Post by **Gil Dobie** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:33 am

Wedgebuster wrote:
dbackjon wrote: So they Govenor of Utah is making stuff up?

Parts of the West are so dry that it doesn't take a lot to get a fire started.

A man was arrested here in Phoenix for starting a fire that blackened 18,000 acres - he admits the fire started while shooting a gun. In this case, the idiot was shooting a Dragon Breath round.
Fully trustworthy!

Politicians make stuff up as part of their job.

Post by **UNI88** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:53 am

CID1990 wrote:
dbackjon wrote:

And in many other cases, a regular bullet sparked the fire.

Not sure YOU see that.
Going to have to go with Wedgie on this one. No way standard shooting is starting fires, even in the driest conditions.

If someone is using incendiary ammunition then that's no different from throwing lit paper towels into dry leaves, and maybe even borderline intentional.

We could ban cigarettes, electricity, guns, outdoor grills, guns, and we could all walk around in body condoms (Im sure you'd like that, Jon) and we will still have forest fires. They are naturally occurring, and even necessary to many ecosystems.

I believe you and Wedgie but I'm curious - could standard ordinance create a spark if it ricocheted off a hard surface (concrete, steel, another metal) at the right angle? I'm sure the odds of this happening are much less than a hundred other things that could cause a fire but I wonder if it is possible.

Championship Subdivision Football | FCS Football | Stadiums | Blogs | Forums