“The U.S. Forest Service has banned exploding targets in northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and portions of South Dakota because of wildfire and public safety concerns,” the AP reports. “Northern Region Forester Faye Krueger announced Tuesday the regional closure that immediately prohibits exploding targets on national forest lands. The order includes all 12 national forests and grasslands in the agency’s Northern Region. The fine for using the banned targets is up to $5,000 and six months in jail.” The exploding target ban is spreading like wildfire . . .
Exploding targets are already banned on the remaining Forest Service land in South Dakota from an order last year.
The southern half of Idaho is in the Forest Service’s Intermountain Region, where managers this week are considering a ban on exploding targets, spokeswoman Charity Parks said. The region also includes Utah, Nevada and portions of western Wyoming . . .
“Exploding targets pose a very real safety threat to visitors and our employees,” U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said in a statement.
Citing how many fires started by exploding targets? Referring to how many visitors (excluding Darwin Award candidates) and employees hurt by exploding targets? Hey, if it saves one tree . . . [h/t TP]