Recreational target shooting sparked the vegetation fire in the Miguelito Canyon area south of Lompoc on Labor Day, according to Santa Barbara County fire investigators.
On the afternoon of Sept. 7, personnel from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and other agencies responded to the two-alarm blaze, which broke out near Miguelito Park.
The fire blackened about 25 acres before crews were able to stop the spread of the flames with the help of helicopters and airplanes making water and retardant drops.
On Monday, county fire investigators revealed they had pinpointed the cause of the blaze as being recreational target shooting, county fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli said.
“The target shooting occurred on private property in an area where shooting is legal,” investigators said, adding they could not provide additional information due to the ongoing investigation.
Firefighters said the blaze had the potential to char 200 acres.
Some structures were threatened early on, but none was reported damaged. Evacuations of nearby structures were ordered as a precaution.
“The Santa Barbara County Fire Department would like to remind the public of the fire hazards associated with outdoor target shooting, and the importance of following all local, state and federal guidelines when doing so,” Bertucelli said.
Firefighters said they released the cause “to raise awareness and to prevent additional similar fires.”
“It doesn’t take much to start a wildfire with the dry conditions, dry fuels, and critical fire weather that we have experienced. Those responsible for causing or starting fires due to negligence or illegal activity may be held criminally and/or financially responsible.”
Firefighters recommend recreational target shooters take a number of precautions to avoid sparking a blaze. These include placing targets on dirt or gravel, using safe targets, and being mindful of ammunition, such as steel core or solid copper, most likely to start fires.
Shooters also should be armed with a shovel, fire extinguisher and extra water in case a fire sparks.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.