19 Wildfires started SO FAR...

[accadacca]

[BruteForce]

En route to Eureka today, I drove through Saratoga Springs and the west side of Utah Lake. Shooters were still trying to stage at the old quarry location. Fortunately, Sheriff and BLM Rangers were ushering them back out. What were they thinking? Fire raging on the mountain above them and they still want to shoot. WTF!

[Bootboy]

I heard 20. How frustrating to work the PR side of fire suppression, now matter what you say or do, some idiot will circumvent common sense and legal regulations and still manage to start a fire. Common sense seems to be in short supply in dry years.

[Sandstone Addiction]

Not to downplay what has been said already, common sense is key in a situation like this.

But, let's face it, there are insufficient places to shoot rifles along the Wasatch Front that are safe (fire included), easy to access and cheap. I looked at the website on acca's graphic and it looks like there are a few north of SLC, but besides the Lee Kay Center, there is nothing else south. Hobble Creek and Nephi weren't on the list for some reason. Although Hobble Creek's a joke and Nephi is great, but too far away for most.

There needs to be a half dozen 25+ lane rifle/shotgun/pistol ranges bulldozed out of the hillside with simple concrete shooting tables on each. Nephi's range would be a great model. Costs a whole lot less than fighting fires.

[Bootboy]

I agree, but for the time being, find something else to do. I like shooting all my firearms as much as the next guy but a little restraint has the potential to save a lot of headache and money.

[Sandstone Addiction]

Governor Herbert said Friday that there have already been 400 wildfires in Utah - 380 of which were human-caused. Bureau of Land Management officials said this is the 20th target-shooting related fire this year in Utah.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-...utah-wildfire/

So, 380 human caused fires, and only 20 of them from target shooters... If my math is correct, that's 5%.

Seems to me that we could save a lot more resourses if we focused on the other 95% of causes.

But then again, I guess target shooters are an easy target.

[Sombeech]

But then again, I guess target shooters are an easy target.

[ratagonia]

Not to downplay what has been said already, common sense is key in a situation like this.

But, let's face it, there are insufficient places to shoot rifles along the Wasatch Front that are safe (fire included), easy to access and cheap. I looked at the website on acca's graphic and it looks like there are a few north of SLC, but besides the Lee Kay Center, there is nothing else south. Hobble Creek and Nephi weren't on the list for some reason. Although Hobble Creek's a joke and Nephi is great, but too far away for most.

There needs to be a half dozen 25+ lane rifle/shotgun/pistol ranges bulldozed out of the hillside with simple concrete shooting tables on each. Nephi's range would be a great model. Costs a whole lot less than fighting fires.

Any capitalists out there? Sounds like an excellent opportunity.

Instead, seems like shooters want Socialized Shooting Ranges, so that us non-enthusiasts can pay for their hobby. I guess we pay for it already, since our taxes pay for fighting these fires. Oh, but, remember, we HATE socialism...

Tom

[MY T PIMP]

As an avid shooter, I would like to get the low down on exactly what these fire starters were shooting that started these fires. Like with alcohol and so many other things, stupidity and abuse seem to always be behind such problems. I can't help but think these supposed target shooters were brandishing their firearms stupidly and using ammo and targets that they shouldn't be using not only during a hire fire risk scenario but at any time.

Many of you know I have drawn an highly coveted limited entry bull elk tag for Utah. In preparation for this once in a life time opportunity, comes the necessity for siting my rifle and shot practice for extreme distances. To be successful on a hunt of this type, the hunter should be able to exercise great skill at long distance shooting. There are plenty of accessible shooting ranges with 100 yard shooting lanes, and one I know of with 200 yard. However, to be proficient in a Big Game Scenario, a hunter needs distances of much farther than that.

Does anyone know of Shooting Ranges in Utah that are readily accessible to the public, that have long range shooting lanes? I know of one range but it is only open to competitions a few weekends a year. I would prefer the option of going out to 1000 yards. I am not taking this hunt lightly, I am after a world class trophy bull elk, and my research on this hunt has taught me, proficiency in long distance shooting, will greatly increase my odds. I know the precautions I would have to take to prevent fire risk, if I cannot find an accessible range I will have to find a low risk area to practice.

[double moo]

Lee Kay has a 300 yd range, which is where I keep my rifle sighted. It allows mentally calculable drop out to 500.

Id love to go try this one:

http://spiritridgeriflegolf.com/

Also, Wasatch Wings out in Eagle Mountain, was planning to set up a long distance range... Don't know if they finished it or not.

[REDFOX]

I was kind of wondering what type of ammo,caliber, and targets were being used that are starting these fires as well. As far as hunting trophy elk, I would think that a gun that can shoot out to 300 yards with capable bullet energy would be more than enough. If you are just wanting to shoot targets at extreme long ranges it is hard to beat the performance of a 308. I think that a 50 cal would have enough energy to take elk at 1000 yards, but that wouldn't hunting, it would be shooting.

[BruteForce]

As I understand it, the fire above Eagle Mountain / Saratoga Springs was caused by exploding targets.

[ratagonia]

As I understand it, the fire above Eagle Mountain / Saratoga Springs was caused by exploding targets.

Forgive my ignorance: are "exploding targets" normal? Shooting at propane cylinders? Doesn't pretty much anything explode when you hit it with the .50 cal?

Tom

[middlefork]

I don't see normal "hunting bullets" lead or copper being shot at paper targets as a fire threat.

The threat comes from shooting exploding targets, metal targets or using tracer rounds or steel core ammunition.

Exploding targets and tracer rounds are already on the banned list.

[tanya]

Rain is heavy over Cedar Mountain and between the South end of Orderville and Mount Carmel! That should help with the Shingle Fire!


This fire was started by an ATV.

[BruteForce]

Rain is heavy over Cedar Mountain and between the South end of Orderville and Mount Carmel! That should help with the Shingle Fire!


This fire was started by an ATV.

We saw the Shingle Fire shortly after leaving Bryce Canyon. The mushroom-like pyro cloud could be seen from St. George! Any idea how how that ATV started the fire? No spark arrestor?

[accadacca]

We saw the Shingle Fire shortly after leaving Bryce Canyon. The mushroom-like pyro cloud could be seen from St. George! Any idea how how that ATV started the fire? No spark arrestor?

I was wondering that too. I also heard it was an ATV...

[REDFOX]

Full metal jacket bullets are cheap and readily available for ak47's and ar15's, I wonder if any of those rounds striking a rock could ignite dry grass ?

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

[Sombeech]

Any capitalists out there? Sounds like an excellent opportunity.

Any socialist environmentalists want to ban this concept?

[BruteForce]

Full metal jacket bullets are cheap and readily available for ak47's and ar15's, I wonder if any of those rounds striking a rock could ignite dry grass ?

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

For that matter, FMJ rounds are cheap and accessible for 9mm, .40 and .45mm -- better for target shooting than the cheap non FMJ rounds (and more accurate)