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Letter to the Editor on Wildfire Safety Concerns Regarding a Proposed Gun Range on Millville Plains

by Edward B. Wilkes, Millville, CA             

November 20, 2025

 

Wildfire Safety Concerns Regarding a Proposed Gun Range on Millville Plains

by Edward B. Wilkes, Millville, CA


November 20, 2025 (Published on December 8, 2025)


The views expressed here are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Shasta Unfiltered.


A proposed gun range on Millville Plains, if constructed and operating, would become an engine for wildland fire creation, significantly increasing the number and severity of wildfires. The livelihood of the communities of Northern California and the traveling public would be in constant peril, broth from wildfires and errant rifle bullets. The gun range proposal by Patrick Jones was originally approved by Shasta County Board of Supervisors in 2023, but was ordered vacated by the Shasta County Superior Court on March 10, 2025*, following a lawsuit filed by county residents. Jones has publicly stated he will try again.**


  1. The proposed gun range property Lies entirely within a VERY HIGH Wildland Fire Hazard Severity Zone. this zone classification is an immutable characteristic of the terrain, fire history, and weather, and cannot be mitigated by defensible space, maintenance, and any other human-caused actions.***

  2. Shooting-caused wildfires can initiate within an area of 2,559 acres and over 4 miles from the 60 rifle firing positions, where 60 people could be firing at the same time. From NRA data, CA Hwy. 44 is within range of at least 10 of the most common and popular rifel/ammunition combinations.****

  3. Steel or copper bullets are proven to be the primary source of gun range-caused fires. After striking a hard target, such as a rock, the bullet will fragment, producing metal particles as hot as 1400 degrees F. Compare this to personal fireworks, producing sparks at temperatures of 1200 degrees F., which have been illegal in Shasta County since May 14, 1934 due to extreme fire risk.

  4. See the following videos of U.S. Forest Service testing about shooting-caused wildfires.*****

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBVm5Lw8JKg

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQLOoHQv5Z4Steel

  5. Defensible space and a fire suppression system at the clubhouse and hiring line of the proposed gun range will not prevent or reduce the severity of wildfires caused by errant rifle bullets.

  6. Rate of wildfire advance on grassland is 20% of wind speed. ******

  7. On a non-Red Flag Warning Day, a grass fire on Millville Plains could advance at 2 mph.

  8. The Bascom Fire, which started in the immediate vicinity of the proposed shooting complex on June 23, 2018, burned 328 acres and was not contained until January 4, 2019: 195 days later. *******

  9. 257 shooting-caused fires in California, excluding those caused by incendiary ammunition or exploding targets from 2012 to 2022, burning a total of 25,625 acres.********

  10. 753 wildfires reported in 11 western states caused by shooting at inert targets from 1992-2018.*********

  11. Ten PG&E 500,000 volt towers, 41 lesser-voltage towers, and 2.2 miles of high-voltage lines cross directly into the l ine of fire from 60 rifle firing positions.

  12. A hunter's stray rifle bullet brought down a power line sparking a brush fire in Bern Township, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 3, 2013.

  13. 97 homes and businesses and 5% miles of CA Highway 44 (with 5,500 vehicles/day) are in range of errant rifle bullets.

  14. Much more information is posted on the website www.stopmillvillegunrange.com


Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Showing the Proposed Shooting Complex on Millville Plains
Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map Showing the Proposed Shooting Complex on Millville Plains

Footnotes:

*Ruling on Verified Petition for Writ of Mandate, Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Shasta, Case #23CV-0203713, Ruling dated March 10, 2025 and filed March 11, 2025.

**Action News Now; televised interview with Patrick Jones, March 12, 2025

*** https://osfm.fire.ca.gov; FHSZ Maps and Info; Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM). ©2025 State of California

****NRA Firearms Sourcebook. Your Ultimate Guide to Guns, Ballistics and Shooting. Michael E. Bussard and Stanton L. Wormley, Jr. 2006. pp 27-28. National Rifle Association of America, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-9400.

*****Email from Karen C. Short PhD, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory

******”Estimating Wildfire Rate of Spread in Grasslands‚” Marty Alexander, PhD, RPF. Canada Wildland Fire Conference

*******www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2018/6/23/bascom-fire; and Redding Record Searchlight, June 23, 2018.

********CalFire Wildfire Redbooks. Website www.fire.ca.gov

*********Fire Safety Journal; Agency records of wildfires caused by firearms in the United States. Karen C. Short and Mark A. Finney

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