Fire Prevention Orders take effect before heat of fire season

It’s no secret, most marksmen find any way they can to get out of the city limits to get some good target practice in.

But, as the heat of fire season approaches, there’s a growing need for people to be cognizant of how easily a day of shooting could quickly lead to sparking a wildfire.

Pocatello Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Tom Sanford noted that this is a big issue in parts of the state. Although this issue is seen more prominently in the Boise area, there’s still a concern in our region.

“It does happen and it can happen,” Sanford said. “Here, in Pocatello and in southeast Idaho, we know the danger is there.”

He said the best policy is to make sure you’re not discharging your firearm around any grass, whatsoever.

He added, this year, the Bureau of Land Management is cracking-down on people responsible for starting fires, or even those who are caught breaking the rules.

This past week the BLM released its set of Fire Prevention Order regulations, which says no one is allowed to do any of the following on public lands:

“Discharging, using or possessing fireworks; discharging a firearm using incendiary, steel core, or tracer ammunition; burning, igniting or causing to burn explosive material including exploding targets.”

According to the Wildfire Today database, in 2012, there were four wildfires in Idaho caused by exploding targets.

Although sportsmen have been using them for the past two decades, fire officials have found these to be the cause of several large wildfires across the region every year.

Damian Jacobson is about to take the helm at Sam’s Gun Shop once current owner Sam Laoboonmi retires. He said he prefers to not use exploding targets since there are safer ones he finds to be more useful when determining your accuracy.

He also offers some advice to some of his customers –

“You just have to be aware of where you’re shooting at all times,” Jacobson said. “Remember, you could also have ricochets and the bullets are hot. Just the bullets themselves can start a fire under the right circumstances.”

The BLM said if anyone is caught breaking those regulations, that could land someone in jail for up to one year, or they could face a $1,000 fine.

If they find you responsible for causing a fire, you will be paying the restitution fees, entirely.