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On the subject of the woods being shut down for fire danger. For those of you that wanted more warning. Mother Nature gives you as much warning as she can. It's Summer time, it hasn't rained for a while, it's hot, dry and windy. When you walk in the wood it sounds like you are walking on Potato Chips. All these things point to an increase in fire danger. The woods will be shut down, just like every year. Only the man set date changes but you should know that it happens every year so be prepared not suprized.
 
Target Shooting is suddenly closed for all WA State managed lands for reasons of hot/dry weather. Notice is currently being posted at common shooting sites throughout the state.

Would have been best for everyone with a little advanced notice! It's not like the forecast suddenly changed late last night and they had to call an emergency closure overnight! They could notified us yesterday and we may have been able to help save some folks a bit of time, gas, effort and grief (me especially, driving from Washougal to the Triangle Pit in Capitol SF near Olympia this morning!). Several folks were rather PO'd that they drove so far for nothing and were not aware. More later.

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...get my drift? ;) :s0114:
 
I would blame all the idiots still having fires, smoking cigs and weed, meth heads, etc.

I can't imagine most of these wildfires are caused by shooting.
I know it happens, but I think less likely than other causes.
 
Is Jones creek orv area open to target shooting or still close
Still closed for target shooting. I have a strong feeling it will stay closed till end of September or so, depending on how much rain we get.

All WA State DNR managed lands are closed.
 
Sparks can be created via secondary impact so it isn't as if you're scott free if you're shooting lead only.

I'm not an expert by any means, but it seems to me that when a bullet, lead or otherwise, impacts an object at high speed there would be a significant amount of heat generated at that point due to friction. Whether a spark is generated or not wouldn't really matter if a bullet impacts something dry- or flammable-enough to ignite from friction. Hot bullet hits a thick clump of tinder-dry grass, grass ignites? Plausible?


I would blame all the idiots still having fires, smoking cigs and weed, meth heads, etc.

I can't imagine most of these wildfires are caused by shooting.
I know it happens, but I think less likely than other causes.

I disagree. I think other causes are more likely than those you listed. Many wildfires are started by lightning strikes. We get electrical storms during the summer and quite often there will be a new fire somewhere after one passes through. I believe I saw a fire start just that way a couple of years ago. There was a squall a few miles away and we (my sister was with me) saw a bolt of lightning hit the ground. A couple of hours later there was smoke coming from the same area and fire crews were sent out. Maybe a coincidence.

Another cause of fires, in this area anyway, is farm equipment. There was a large fire a year or so ago that caused some evacuations around Grand Coulee/Electric City that started, I was told, in a hay field by the tractor working there. Towing a till or something that hit a rock and the spark caught the hay on fire. The high winds we get around here took care of the rest. That one got pretty big as I remember. It seems we get at least one small fire like that every year.

Not saying that stupid people don't also cause fires. The state park here had a nice one a few years ago because someone's campfire got out of hand. That one got knocked down pretty quick, but it was 'interesting' around here for a few hours.

My sister works at that state park and says people will pack up and leave behind a full campfire burning without even trying to put it out. So, yeah, it happens, but not that often.
 
My sister works at that state park and says people will pack up and leave behind a full campfire burning without even trying to put it out. So, yeah, it happens, but not that often.
If you're going to be that irresponsible, you don't belong out in the woods in the first place.

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The USDA/Forest Service published "A Study of Ignition by Rifle Bullets" in August 2013 that is interesting. I wasn't able to attach a copy so you will have to search for it on-line ("Research Paper RMRS-RP-104").
 
Good article. Definately shows lead on the low end of potential for ignition. Interesting to see the temperature they report... " Thermal infra-red video and temperature sensitive paints suggested that the temperature of bullet fragments could exceed 800°C." That's 1,472 degrees Fahrenheit!!! (800°C × 9/5) + 32 = 1472°F) Add that to a 80/90 degree day PLUS a few more degrees of direct radiant sunshine and you get some super hot stuff happening inside an old rotted stump or the dry grass in direct sunshine!

So, on the safe side, I'd say you're best to go with paper targets, lead bullets and a 'Nothing-but-dirt' backstop. Or, don't shoot for a while till conditions improve (besides, you may need that ammo if stuff hits the fan!) :)
 
Jeff. Co. Sportsmen Assoc. Range has only been open to members only for a while now, due to freezing of phase 3.
Even then, restrictions apply.
So, if you're not a member, don't even consider going out there.

Dean
 

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