Photo courtesy of NSSF
Throughout the parched American West, the potential for wildfires is high. Summer has yet to arrive and already fire restrictions have been issued for some national forests and other public lands. The cost for fighting wildfires this year could exceed $1 billion—a staggering amount that does not include tolls on property, wildlife, habitat and humans.
It is the responsibility of hunters and target shooters to stay informed on such issues and take special precautions when facing sometimes unusual conditions such as extremely dry environments. These environments require hunters and shooters to have an extra level of awareness and safety measures in mind.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is encouraging target shooters and hunters to do their part to help prevent wildfires. Shooters are being encouraged to check the fire danger level in their area before they begin shooting. Relying on previous reports is not recommended, as fire danger levels can change on a day-to-day basis.
NSSF offers a poster and audio public service announcement containing prevention guidelines for use throughout this fire season. Posting one of these up in your shop will aid in serving as a reminder for gun owners to take these simple, but necessary extra precautions when shooting.
The poster encourages firearms owners to know the rules, regulations and fire-danger levels before going target shooting or hunting in fire-prone areas; to minimize the risk of starting a fire by not using ammunition that is steel-jacketed or contains steel-core components; to not use tracer rounds or exploding targets; to remember that a vehicle or ATV’s hot exhaust pipes could ignite a fire; and to properly extinguish campfires, among other fire-prevention measures.
The poster is available in two sizes—the standard 8.5 x 11 inches and a larger 11 x 17 size—and is suitable for displaying at shooting ranges, firearms retail shops and outdoor-equipment stores, as well as sharing on websites, blogs and social media sites.
NSSF’s 30-second PSA is suitable for radio, television and Internet use. The straight-forward message is—”Wildfires have many causes—don’t be one of them!”
Help prevent wildfires by sharing these fire-prevention messages with other target shooters, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts.
For more information, visit www.nssf.org/education/PreventWildfires.cfm.
