Utah gov.: Gun shooters cause too many fires - US news - Christian Science Monitor - msnbc.com I find that strange....I have seen fires started by bullets, always TRACERS and from the military. I have lived in the desert for a LONG time and NOT once have I seen one fire started by a bullet, ricochet or not.... But what do I know?
You bet'cha, I just had the experience with a couple of neighbors earlier this spring. They were shooting their AR at a target without a backstop and it started a fire 100 yards or so further back in the woods. We had a dry winter with no snow (lousy winter) and the leaves were dry as a bone. They were shooting regular fmj bullets. It's the rocks that they hit and splintered that cought the leaves on fire. Luckily only an acre was damaged due to the quick reply from the local fire company. Unfortunatly, the neighbors didn't help at all to try to contain it until the fire department arrived, and just sat there and watched. If the right conditions exist, stuff happens quickly.
Projectiles impart lots of energy, upon encountering a solid Object. That energy gets converted to Heat, and that Heat can cause surrounding flammable materials to exceed their Flash Temperature. Then you have a fire. Simple Physics. ...... YMMV.....
News media said they were target shooting in a dump. Anti Gun Media said "GUNFIRE STARTS FIRE" I guess its all in the holder of the pen.
