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Banning Firearms because of Fire Danger??

Porter N

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
126
Location
Alpine, Utah
My wife's family has potential to annoy the poo out of me. Her family reunion is coming up this weekend and they are sharing all the information about the reunion via email and facebook. This year, they are taking much needed precautions to avoid starting any kind of fire. We aren't having any open fires - not even camp stoves. everything will be electric. We aren't having any fireworks, and they've asked us not to bring guns to shoot, and suggested that the county would probably soon be banning things anyway, with legal action if bans aren't followed.

the news here in Utah has said multiple times that State law does not allow the government here to ban shooting. Is idaho the same? No, I don't care to shoot outside much anyway - especially if it will be 100+ degrees outside in a desert. But after reading the facebook message about them asking (telling) us not to bring fireworks or guns and that they would be banned with the county taking legal action for use of such items, I called horse feces and told my wife I would have my gun(s) anyway, but wouldn't be shooting. I just carry everywhere. She said they may call the police (my in-laws arent, but some of the relatives really are THAT kind of "family.")

Please don't get me wrong, I understand their concerns for fire safety and feel a great amount of sadness and pain for those who've lost homes and lives in these fires...

but I know the only "ban" they can do for me carrying is playing the "private property" card and telling me that I can't have guns, at which time I will pack up and never return to their reunion.

I know we at OCDO are very law- and fact-based people, so any laws or city ordinances that back me up on the lies behind their warnings would be helpful. I searched to see if even fireworks were being banned and can't find anything about what cities are doing what.

Here's a copy of the facebook post with names excluded.

"The (eastern idaho location)-based names families report 4 wildfires already in their small corner of Idaho, and conditions will get even worse as we progress into July and August. Therefore, we WILL NOT be having any type of open cookout, ie: hot dogs, grilling (not even propane units), smores, etc. at the name's reunion this year. Our group meals are being planned using electrical appliances, and we are asking you to organize your individual family meals along those same guidelines. Please plan your menus using cold items (sandwiches, cereal, fruits&vegies) or things that you can prepare inside an RV or using a covered electrical crockpot, roaster, etc within the pavilion. Also, ALL fireworks and firearms are prohibited at the reunion this year, and we ask that you be hyper-vigilant in keeping this rule personally and as a family. At this point, the ban is in place by request (see name’s Facebook posts copied below); however, it is highly likely to be a Franklin County ordinance, subject to legal penalities, by the time we get together on July 5th. This is a very serious concern, and we need to treat it as such. "
 
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bowb

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2010
Messages
58
Location
Idaho
The county can ban discharge of firearms if it is unsafe, carrying not so much. Look at Idaho statute 18-3302(j).

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davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
sounds like the people concerned about your gun starting a fire are people who may set fires themselves ... so you best have your firearm at the ready...
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
While I hate having my shooting rights restricted in any way I do understand the reasoninge behind it. I had to evacuate my house twice while living in San Diego due to fires caused by gunfire. Pure accidents but devastating nonetheless. You can be as cautious as you want but it only takes a single spark as dry as everything is out there. Wait until you actually see the fire threatening to devour your home and you'll see that the temporary restriction makes perfect sense.
 
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Vandal

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
557
Location
Spokane, Washington, USA
Carry on, there is almost nothing in Franklin County worth burning anyway. They won't ban firearms themselves due to the fire danger. They will attempt to ban the discharge of firearms which is within their power. They cannot ban firearms as per the cited law in bowb's post.
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
While I hate having my shooting rights restricted in any way I do understand the reasoninge behind it. I had to evacuate my house twice while living in San Diego due to fires caused by gunfire. Pure accidents but devastating nonetheless. You can be as cautious as you want but it only takes a single spark as dry as everything is out there. Wait until you actually see the fire threatening to devour your home and you'll see that the temporary restriction makes perfect sense.

Until you don't have your gun the one time you need it...but hey at least your body won't be burned.
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
Until you don't have your gun the one time you need it...but hey at least your body won't be burned.

They are not restricting your right to own the gun or to have it on your person, they are simply limiting when it can be shot outdoors. I doubt anyone intentionally started a fire by shooting, it was an accident, responsible gun owners should be understanding.
 
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ecocks

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
1,040
Location
USA
I would not be going to a reunion then....

Ditto. I would simply say, no guns, no attendance.

It makes no sense to do this.

Particularly since, as noted, they probably aren't banning cigarettes or cigars and they're bringing electrical appliances.

If you are feeling feisty, ask them if the Sheriff's Department, Park Rangers or PD have instructed their personnel to disarm under this completely absurd sort of logic.
 

ecocks

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
1,040
Location
USA
While I hate having my shooting rights restricted in any way I do understand the reasoninge behind it. I had to evacuate my house twice while living in San Diego due to fires caused by gunfire. Pure accidents but devastating nonetheless. You can be as cautious as you want but it only takes a single spark as dry as everything is out there. Wait until you actually see the fire threatening to devour your home and you'll see that the temporary restriction makes perfect sense.

Ridiculous.

Please provide statistics showing the number of wildfires which are started each year as a result of firearms discharges.
 

DocWalker

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2008
Messages
1,922
Location
Mountain Home, Idaho, USA
Ridiculous.

Please provide statistics showing the number of wildfires which are started each year as a result of firearms discharges.

Better yet he should site the number of fires started by simply having a firearm on you person that never is taken out of the holster. If you do have to use it you should aim for the threat and not the dry grass...lol
 

ecocks

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
1,040
Location
USA
Cars have spark plugs... Spark... FIRE!!! BAN CARS!


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Well, I lived four years in Southern California (San Bernardino mostly) and have been through a couple of large wildfires which forced evacuations, work and school closures. At least two major wildfires (and I mean seriously major) did, in fact, start as result of vehicles, one a car, the other a motorcycle, driving in dry grass. So, yes they do occasionally ban motorcycles and cars from off-road use in exceptionally dry conditions.

Again, can anyone cite a documented instance of a wildfire as a result of a firearms discharge? I simply don't think it happens except in the movies.

Feel free to present hard evidence from credible sources to change my mind. Anything else is anti-gun BS from people too afraid to be around guns.
 

mwaterous

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2012
Messages
197
Location
New Mexico
Banning firearms due to fire danger is about as ridiculous as it gets. If the fire danger is that bad, I sure hope everybody arrives on bike or by foot and is not carrying any other potentially lethal devices like a mobile phone (we all know that's a myth, but lets play along). Are there any smokers in the family? They best be non-smokers during this event and have left their Bics, butanes and Zippo's far far away from such deadly tinder.

To be entirely fair, there is some truth to this. If you find yourself in a survival situation you can pry open a round and use the gunpowder to help build yourself a life saving fire. Which could potentially burn down an entire forest if you don't build it safely.
 
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