idiots

The good news is its raining.  The bad news is there is a wildfire less than 20 miles from my house.  So far the fire has burned about 10k acres, a handful of homes and not killed anyone.  Below find a Q&A.

Q.  How did this fire get started?

A.   Some local idiots shot tracer rounds at the local gun range.  They missed the targets and the range and the tracers started a fire in the brush above the range.

Q.  What is a tracer bullet? 

A.  Its a bullet with a small pyrotechnic charge in it that causes the bullet's path to be illuminated.  Basically the bullet is on fire. 

Q.  Are tracer bullets legal?

A.  Yes, in every state but CA.

Q.  Why would anyone use a tracer bullet?

A.  They are typically used by machine gunners to allow them to correct their aim (4 regular bullets to 1 tracer bullet is the typical load pattern).  They are also sometimes used by NCOs to target enemies for their squad.  Additionally, they are often loaded as the 3rd to last round in a magazine to alert the solider that they are almost out of ammo.  The above reasons are all obviously strictly military ---why would a local idiot use tracer rounds at a gun range?  Do you have to ask?  Flaming bullets are so fucking cool.

Q.  Were there any fire restrictions in place at the time the tracer bullets were fired.

A.  Yes.  We were under level 2 fire restrictions which are very strict.  For example, you couldn't smoke a cigarette outside or fire up a charcoal grill at your home.

Q.  Would level 2 fire restrictions applied to tracer bullets?  To the gun range in general?

A.  Yes tracer bullets are restricted during level 2 fire conditions, but no level 2 fire restrictions do require the gun range to shut down.

Q.  What the fuck---why would grilling be illegal but firing a gun not?

A.  There are a couple of reasons--the first is a regular bullet fired into a target on a well maintained gun range with brush and scrub cleared shouldn't pose a threat--this fire only started because tracer bullets were used and landed outside the gun range.  In addition there is a theory that people are going to want to fire their guns so giving them a safe place to fire their weapons reduces the chance of them going into the woods which are filled with tinder.  The odds of a normal bullet starting a fire in the woods are still low but significantly higher than a bullet starting a fire at a well maintained gun range.

Q.  You didn't really answer my question.

A.  True.  The second amendment plus the NRA are quite powerful.  There isn't an amendment in the bill of rights protecting the use of grills, and while Big Tobacco is quite powerful they pale in comparison to the NRA.  So yes, level 2 fire restrictions restrict a lot of liberties, but not the right to fire your gun at an outside gun range.

Q.  Whats this going to cost?

A.  A lot.  Strictly speaking there are over 500 fire fighters who have been brought in, planes and helicopters dropping water and chemicals, displaced people, evacuation centers, housing fire teams, transporting fire teams, loss of woods, rebuilding homes, canceled flights, smoke water and fire mitigation for starters.  I would guess the costs will run into the millions.

Q.  That is a lot---why are so many resources being thrown at this fire?

A.  Because we are Aspen.  Not only are there a lot of valuable assets here (my guess is the insurance on homes up here would run well over $1 billion) but also if this fire was to sweep up the valley there would be only one escape route and that is up highway 82 and over independence pass.  10ks of people trying to flee over independence pass being chased by a fast moving fire would result in numerous fatalities.

Q.   Do you have a go bag packed?

A.  Yes.

Q.  Are you scared?

A.  Yes--I am a good risk manager and while the odds seem low of the current fire rapidly running up the valley and into Aspen it is not impossible to imagine and the single exit is not ideal.

Q.  Any final thoughts?

A.  Yes--this is another example of our country having idiotic views about guns.  Why do individuals need to be able to purchase tracer rounds?  Or bump stocks?  Or AR-15s.  Why are we considering hardening schools, arming teachers, and keeping gun ranges open during level 2 fire restrictions when you can't even grill outside.  I'm not going to go into a long rant on this---just realize to pretty much every other developed country we look like idiots.

Damm.  It stopped raining. 

Tomorrow--more idiots (yea I am thinking about you flip flop guy).