LAKE COUNTY — After a nearly year-long investigation, Cal Fire has determined that target shooting was the cause of the 2018 Pawnee Fire that burned more than 15,000 acres in eastern Lake County last June, destroying 22 structures and injuring one.
Cal Fire reported Friday afternoon that Cal Fire investigators were dispatched as part of the initial response to the Pawnee Fire and immediately began working to determine the origin and cause of the fire. The ensuing investigation uncovered evidence that target shooting sparked the fire on June 23, 2018. Cal Fire was assisted during the course of the investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Lake County District Attorney’s Office, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, and Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety.
In an interview Friday, Cal Fire Public Information Officer Will Powers declined to comment further on his agency’s determination, but noted that the Lake County District Attorney’s Office had been given the case. Powers did not specify wether any charges would be pursued.
Chief Deputy DA Richard Hinchcliff, who has taken on the case, said Saturday that while he had been in touch with Cal Fire officers when the Pawnee was originally being investigated, he had not yet reviewed Cal Fire’s final report.
It is not yet clear whether the target shooting that sparked the blaze was a violation of the law. Hinchcliff said that until he performs a full review of the investigation, he will not know whether any criminal charges are to be pursued.
“I don’t know if this is a case where a crime was committed or not,” Hinchcliff said. Asked whether he had names of any individuals associated with the target shooting incident, Hinchcliff suggested there were multiple, but declined to give them out.
“There was more than one person at the scene,” he noted.
In its release, Cal Fire reminded the public to stay safe when shooting targets by doing the following:
- Place your targets on dirt or gravel, shoot in areas free of dry vegetation—and avoid shooting on hot windy days. Bullet fragments can be extremely hot and can easily start a fire.
- Use safe targets, shooting at steel targets or rocks may throw sparks into the nearby vegetation. Use paper targets or clay pigeons.
- Ammunition type matters, steel core and solid copper ammunition have the highest potential to start fires. Lead core bullets are less likely to ignite surrounding vegetation.
- Incendiary or tracer ammunition, ammunition that “burns” can easily ignite vegetation so should not be used in flammable areas.
- Keep a shovel, fire extinguisher and extra water on hand, in case a fire does start.
- Report all fires immediately: call 9-1-1.
