The Bureau of Land Management says a wildfire that blasted through Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas early this week was caused by a shooter. About 150 acres of grasslands were consumed by the fire before being contained.
Target shooting in area illegal
The BLM dubbed the wildfire the Bird Springs Fire. The agency says they’ve found that a target shooter, still unnamed, was responsible. It’s not uncommon for fires to start this way, but target shooting in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area is definitely illegal.
The fire was called in just before noon on Memorial Day, and burned near the Late Night trailhead on Nevada 160, west of Las Vegas. No injuries were reported nor were buildings damaged in the fire.
Human actions cause most wildfires in the area, according to the BLM. Fewer than 20% are caused by sources other than humans.
Not only is the Red Rock Canyon area popular for RVers and other campers, the conservation area is home to the endangered desert tortoise. That may have slowed response time to the fire caused by the shooter. Emergency vehicles need prior permission before entering desert tortoise habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that the shelled creatures hibernate in burrows for most of the year. However, they are highly active from March to June.
Anyone with information is encouraged to email BLM Law Enforcement at blm_nv_sndo_lawenforcement@blm.gov or call 702-293-8998.
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It’s idiots like this one who give all shooters a bad name.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 Too bad that whoever was unconcerned about the legality of her/his shooting. I guess the rules were inapplicable because he/she is a superior being and above the law. Oh well. 🤔😯🙁 Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Why would “emergency” anything need prior approval? It’s not something that is scheduled; it’s an emergency!?!?! By their very nature, emergencies are not predictable (other than perhaps in a statistical sense — e.g., so many acres are burned by man-made wildfires per day). 🤔😯