Cow Mountain fire ignited by target shooting, officials say

A fire that scorched 20 acres on Cow Mountain east of Ukiah on Monday was ignited by gunfire at a public target shooting range, Cal Fire officials reported.

Cal Fire warned that people need to take precautions when firing guns in and around dry vegetation, while Bureau of Land Management officials have initiated a temporary ban on target shooting on its public lands in Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, Yolo, Colusa, Glenn and Solano Counties.

“We need to have this additional emergency fire restriction in place due to the severe fire danger caused by continuing high temperatures and dry conditions,” BLM Ukiah Field Manager Amanda James stated in a prepared release.

Hunting continues to be allowed, said BLM spokesman Jeff Fontana.

He said the ban on target shooting will remain in place until the fire danger subsides.

BLM also has implemented restrictions limiting where people can smoke and where internal combustion engines can be used. Cal Fire offered tips on reducing fire danger while target shooting.

They include firing guns only in areas that are free of dry vegetation, avoiding targets that can cause sparks, and bringing shovels and fire extinguishers to target practice.

The so-called Range fire on Cow Mountain was expected to be fully controlled Thursday evening.

A fire ignited Sunday by a vehicle fire, which burned 900 acres northeast of Ukiah, was 95 percent contained Thursday with full control expected Saturday, according to Cal Fire.