To shoot or not to shoot?

 It's that time of year, once again, that we need to ask ourselves; should I go shooting or not?

We know people are anxious to go recreational shooting in the forest on a weekend, but, consider the high risk of fire danger! Perhaps you could put it off until conditions improve.

We've just heard about the closure to some recreational activity, including target shooting, in the Mt. Hood National Forest because of high fire danger. So far, we have not heard of any other closures on WA or OR state lands.

So, if you decide to go shooting, here's some things you need to consider:

• Shoot early and not after 1 pm.

• Choose a place without dry grass or brush. (Gravel pit offers good protection against fire starts but don't shoot into or use rocks as a backstop. Most gravel pits have some good backstops of real small/fine gravel or dirt. Ricochet is common even off loose gravel.) Dirt backstops are always best!

• Fire Prevention Gear is required. Min gear, FOR ALL VEHICLES TRAVELING IN THE FORESTS, is at least 1 gallon of water, (or a 2.5 lb fire extinguisher), and a shovel. The shovel needs to be at least 26" long with an 8" blade. More water, a bigger extinguisher and a hatchet or axe is always better.

• No targets on trees, stumps or logs!!! They will burn inside and you may not see the smoke.

Other info and details about shooting in the fire season can be found on our Trash No Land website, http://trashnoland.org/fire.html

The shooter is the first responder and is the best person to stop a fire in it's tracks. Be safe out there!

A SMOKING STUMP

WA DNR FIRE CREW SNUFF OUT A SMOKING STUMP.

On Saturday, July 14, 2018, a 90 degree day, a DNR Fire crew responded to a report from a target shooter of smoke rising from a stump in the Yacolt Burn State Forest. The stump was being used as a backstop for target shooting. DNR Fire quickly responded and extinguished the smoldering embers before it ignited into flames.

Target shooting can and does start fires under certain conditions. Never use stumps, down logs, and trees as they are prime with dry tinder and can easily start a wildfire.

This particular stump has thousands of rounds inside, as it has been used as a backstop for years. Many of the rounds are of steel and copper core. The wood has been mulched down into soft fine shavings of fire starting tinder. As bullets collide with each other, you get sparks inside the stump that begin to smolder.

When steel and copper core bullets strike a hard surface, steel/rock/other bullets, a tremendous amount of friction is generated. Friction is heat. Super heated fragments, very tiny in size, fly off in various directions. They can land in dry tinder and smolder for quite some time. The heat associated with the bullet or bullet fragments can and has, as we witnessed today, created fire in stumps and logs.

Work in the field, such as flush cutting stumps and logs, have shown where the wood, in the stump, has been charred around the bullet or bullet fragment. You may be long gone when a fire actually ignites.

The shooter had noticed smoke rising from the stump and promptly notified fire officials. The shooter had also dug out part of the smoldering area of the stump to allow water to penetrate the burning area more quickly.

This is a reminder of the importance to ALWAYS TAKE FIRE PREVENTION GEAR with you at all times when shooting. (It's a requirement in the fire season, but responsible shooters pack it year round). And never use trees, logs or stumps as backstops! You need a 2 1/2 to 5 pound fire extinguisher, 1-2 gallons of water and a shovel, as minimum gear.

On hot days, it's best to shoot early in the morning or not shoot at all that day. Avoid using steel targets on hot days. Use lead bullets rather than copper or steel core types.

Being responsible is easy and it's an important part of preserving our privilege to shoot on public lands. If we destroy it, we loose it. Kind of simple. Do it right and Trash No Land!

More info on fire prevention in target shooting at:  http://trashnoland.org/fire.html