NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, reminds outdoor recreationists, including target shooters and hunters, to take precautions so they don’t accidentally ignite a wildfire.

NSSF’s “Help Prevent Wildfires” public service announcements campaign provides video and audio PSAs, an 8.5 x 11 poster, an infographic and shareable social media posts that remind recreational shooters and other outdoor enthusiasts to be mindful of their surroundings and to take precautions, such as:

• Being aware of restrictions on shooting and other activities in fire-prone areas
• Not using tracer rounds, exploding targets or ammunition that is steel-jacketed or contains steel-core components
• Knowing that a vehicle’s hot exhaust systems can ignite dry vegetation
• Making sure all campfires and smoking materials are properly extinguished

There were 58,985 wildfires in 2021 that burned 7.1 million acres of land throughout the country, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. These fires caused billions of dollars in damage along with hardship for both people and wildlife. Wildfires are tragic in many ways, including that in most cases they can be prevented when people pay attention to their surroundings and follow safe practices. Some 90 percent of wildland fires in the United States are caused by human actions.

“After seeing the terrible destruction and heartbreak wildfires can cause, no one would want to accidentally be the cause of one,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “As gun owners, we care about safeguarding our communities and our natural resources, and so we remind everyone to check the fire-danger levels in their area and take precautions before heading outdoors to pursue our warm-weather activities, including recreational shooting.”

NSSF encourages individuals and organizations to share the “Help Prevent Wildfires” public service announcements and infographic on their social media networks and to use the #GunOwnersCare hashtag.

For more information, visit nssf.org.