We went shooting in the Cleveland National Forrest today in the Aguana/Highpoint area. Been shooting there since around 1998 without any trouble.

We had been there about two hours this afternoon when a Forrest service ranger showed up and told us the area was now closed to shooting, due to very high fire danger. He implied the closure is likely to last YEARS. as in it will take a couple winters of above averge rain fall before they even consider reopening the spot to shooting.

This falls on the heels of the recent BLM Anza fork emergency range closure.  therse were two of the last three remaining public shooting spots in southern California. Only Orosco Ridge remains open.

It sucks that we dont have a place to plink in the desert anymore. but it could be worse, we could have got cited for shooting in a closed area and all our equipment seized.

Anyone have Email contact info for the local NRA members council and CRPA?

that sucks

WTF though.....if you're in the desert, whats there to burn?  Or did I mis-read that?


And for that matter, unless you're shooting tracers, how is shooting a firehazard?

In the desert, the grass and weeds all burn.

Quoted: In the desert, the grass and weeds all burn.

That would make sense....I was just thinking that the stuff that grows in the desert is used to not getting much water, so a drought wouldn't affect them as much as say, the corn and soybean crops here.  

The ranger was just doing his job. Many desert areas of So. Calif. are under red flag warnings, meaning extremely high fire danger.

The bullets made with copper-washed, mild steel jackets can spark when they hit something.  Almost all inexpensive ammo has this inexpensive type bullet.  I have seen it happen - spark, that is.  By the time you clear the weapons and get down range, the fire could already have gotten away from you.  Plus, what do you have on hand to fight a fire, anyway?

Quoted: The bullets made with copper-washed, mild steel jackets can spark when they hit something.  Almost all inexpensive ammo has this inexpensive type bullet.  I have seen it happen - spark, that is.  By the time you clear the weapons and get down range, the fire could already have gotten away from you.  Plus, what do you have on hand to fight a fire, anyway?

Ok...I'm used to shooting with an earth berm as a backstop, and non-metal (read that as paper) targets.  I guess I can understand how the steel jacket bullets could spark and cause issues.  I haven't seen it, but then again I usually do not shoot that type of ammo anyway.

It still sucks that he lost one of his shooting places though

Quoted: The ranger was just doing his job. Many desert areas of So. Calif. are under red flag warnings, meaning extremely high fire danger.

True. But its always been this way, and always will be. I think BLM and forest service are using any excuse possible to end recreational shooting on public land in so cal.

Great that just when the AWB sunsets you cant go plinking anymore.

They've had some really nassty fires out that way in the recent past and the conditions aren't getting any better.  At least one of those fires was started by shooters.  Forest Service has been closing aggressively but the BLM allows it in almost all areas not closed by local /county government.

For those that aren't familiar with the areas the vegetation is grassy, shrubby and  small trees, it's desert by definition but does get just enough water to get and sustain vegetation. it's also at about 3000 elevation.  You get closer over to Anza-Borrego and the vegetation drops way off.

The biggest fire in the Cleveland Nat'l Forest in a long time in terms of size, $damage and homes lost was started by a hunter, who lit a signal fire when "lost" and let the fire get away from himself.

We can be our own worst enemies.

I was out shooting in Mammoth Lakes over the weekend and there were no restrictions on the local informal ranges.  Maybe not as dry there.

i know its a little further.. but just go up the 15 past barstow and you can shoot anywhere out there... all BLM land and nothing to burn.

Quoted: i know its a little further.. but just go up the 15 past barstow and you can shoot anywhere out there... all BLM land and nothing to burn.

Aint that the truth? we usually go east on 40 so we can train watch too.  That desert makes the Cleveland Nat'l Forest area east of Temecula look like a tropical rain forest.  I don't think I've ever seen anything other than a few bugs and little lizards out there where I go.  Minimal vegetation so few to no rodents, no rodents not snakes.  (But I still watch out.)

2nd that..go up the 15 and you won't have to sweat anyone.

I've been shooting in the "true" Riverside County desert (dirt & sand, not scrub brush like the Cleveland) for many years with no issues, even with recent contacts by Riverside Sheriff's Office.  You need to drive East of Indio. Or, as the three gents above pointed out, drive into the San Bernardino County desert. Dirt and sand are tough to burn.
- Mike

Quoted: 2nd that..go up the 15 and you won't have to sweat anyone.

Don't have to seat? anyone? wanna bet?  it's really humid out there today.

In fact I was just on the CHP page and it looks like they had a nasty thundersstorm w/ flooding and maybe even hail and ice out by Nipton Road.  5 separate incidents listed on the CHP page  NHP is sending units to assisit.

You wanna see some impressive pictures check out some of the pics from the flashflooding up in Death Valley


Looks like the shit  is hiiting the fan out on in the desert today.  I'ld like to see the storm like that as long as I had nowhere to get to in a hurry.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS
4:00PM - B-74 WILL RESPOND TO THE CLOSURE & STAND BY THERE
3:56PM - 1039 UMC TRAUMA
3:55PM - 1021 & ADV INBOUND W/ 18 MIN ETA
3:42PM - 1039 STATELINE SVCS/BR
3:41PM - ROLL 1185 BIG RIG - FRONT OF BUS IS 20 OFF RD
3:41PM - NOTIFY CT THAT ONCE THE IMMEDIATES ARE TRANSPORTED WILL OPEN THE RD
3:27PM - CT IS 97 AT HARD CLOSURE
3:26PM - 1039 MEDIA WITH SIGALERT CHPTMC
3:24PM - PER 87 HARD CLOSURE IS IN EFFECT - AWAITING CT
3:18PM - 1039 NHP SENDING A UNIT TO ASSIST
3:18PM - DO WE KNOW AMOUNT OF INJURIES
3:18PM - PER 87-NEED CALTRANS ETA
3:12PM - NHP WILL ALSO BE ROLLING UNITS
3:06PM - ADV COMM 2 TO 3 IMMEDIATES
3:05PM - START 2 MORE 1141 S-FOR TOTAL OF 5-1039 COMM CENTER
3:04PM - REQ CT CLOSE AT BAILEY - BRING EQUIP TO M INTAIN A CLOSURE
3:01PM - PER 76 START 3 1141 S FRO NEVADA-1039 COMM CENTER
2:59PM - START 1141 MULTIPLE INJURIES

ncident: 0967  Type: Traffic Collision - No Injuries  Location: NB I15 JSO NIPTON RD  Map Page:   Info as of: 9/9/2004 4:02:28 PM

ADDITIONAL DETAILS
3:40PM - 1039 STATELINE SERVICES
3:39PM - ROLL 1185
3:12PM - RP IS IN A LINC VS CHEV CAMARO VS DIESEL TK ALL VEH S ON RS

darn the one that mention vehicles coming off icy road is gone. apparently a CalTrans truck rolled and others slid off.

ncident: 0646  Type: Media Information  Location: INLAND TMC  Zoom Map:  Click Here  Info as of: 9/9/2004 4:04:01 PM

ADDITIONAL DETAILS
3:59PM - **W/ADV** LOG #504/ BARSTOW AREA/ HEAVY RAIN & LIGHTNING STRIKES IN THE AREA OF BAILEY AND THE MOUNTAIN PASS AREA
3:34PM - **FLOOD** LOG #1009/ EB I10 ON VERBENIA AV OFR/ OFFRAMP IS FLOODED/ USE CAUTION IN THE AREA
3:16PM - **SIGALERT** LOG #923/ NB I15 @ BAILEY/ ALL NB LANES CLOSED DUE TO AN INJURY ACCIDENT/ UNKNOWN DURATION
3:07PM - **T/ADV**LOG #928/ NB I15 @ YUMA DR/ TRAFFIC IS BACKED UP FROM YUMA(HIDDEN VALLEY)TO WEIRICK RD DUE TO AN EARLIER TRAFFIC COLLSISION/ROADWAY CLEAR
1:24PM - **W/ADV** LOG #504/ MORONGO VALLEY/ LIGHT RAIN & CLOUDY IN THE AREA/ NFI
1:07PM - **CLOSURE** LOG #433/ SB I15 @ INDIAN TRUCK TRAIL/ #1 LANE CLOSED FOR CALTRANS WORK/ DURATION TILL 3 PM

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The ranger was just doing his job. Many desert areas of So. Calif. are under red flag warnings, meaning extremely high fire danger. True. But its always been this way, and always will be. I think BLM and forest service are using any excuse possible to end recreational shooting on public land in so cal. Great that just when the AWB sunsets you cant go plinking anymore. Well did you show your badge then write down his license plate and let him know you know where he lives. Just kidding pal.

Nope. I told him my name was Bryon Wada and called him a "Jack Booted Thug." Then I quoted scripture while trying to find my laminated copy of the bill of rights and my Michagan militia membership card. unfortunately they were stuck in the tinfoil lining of my Marpat boonie hat.  He just drove away laughing while I fumbled with my hat. I think i heard him say something about "ass web" inbetween his laughs? It was very unprofessional of him to mock a taxpaying citizen that way... After that we just loaded up the SKS and Mossberg in the Monte Carlo and drove back to the trailer.  My mom's boyfriend told me we would just get introuble if we went to the desert...

Well I dont know if any of you have been out to Orosco Ridge lately, but now you need a code to get in. It is easy to get one just more of a hassle than anything. And it sucks too, the area that I normally go they have gated off. You can not go really far out there anymore because right after the road forks there are gates on each road just a little while after it forks. I don't really like it out there during the weekends anymore because of how constrained it is it makes everyone shooting in the dirction of each other. But I will still go there because I live 5 minutes from there and there is no Rangers out there to hastle me about my pre-California gun law guns.

That's called chapparral.

Quoted: For those that aren't familiar with the areas the vegetation is grassy, shrubby and  small trees, it's desert by definition but does get just enough water to get and sustain vegetation. it's also at about 3000 elevation.  You get closer over to Anza-Borrego and the vegetation drops way off.

I'm gettin old and forgetful and couldn't remember.

Just saw some tv on the desert, they're getting a lot of flooding out there.  Saw lightning over the desert in the heads from Orange County.