Agency records of wildfires caused by firearms use in the United States

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.

Automated summary

The use of civilian firearms as a cause of wildfires has become a concern in the United States, despite previous disputes over its plausibility. In 2020, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group recognized it as a newly approved cause of wildfires and incorporated it into their reporting data standard. This study presents the first compilation and summary of shooting-related wildfires in the US, spanning from 1992 to 2018, aiming to raise awareness about this relatively small but impactful preventable cause of wildfires.