Citation

Short KC, Finney MA. Fire Safety J. 2022; 131: e103622.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.firesaf.2022.103622

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

While previously disputed as a plausible ignition source, civilian firearms use has emerged as a wildfire cause of concern in the United States (US). The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) included it as a newly recognized fire cause in the wildfire-reporting data standard approved in 2020. Here we report on shooting-caused wildfire ignitions using data mapped over to the new NWCG cause standard from historical wildfire records spanning 1992-2018. This is the first time that data on shooting-related fires have been assembled and summarized for the US, with the intention of raising awareness concerning this relatively small but impactful cause of preventable wildfires.

Language: en

Keywords

Fire statistics; Firearms; Prevention; Wildfire