The Blazing Reckoning: Target Shooting Ignites Dulzura’s Devastating Wildfire

It’s a sobering truth, really, when you consider the sheer scale of destruction, the homes lost, the land scorched. For months, the mystery surrounding the Border 32 Fire – that monstrous inferno near Dulzura that raged back in the summer – hung heavy in the air, a silent question mark over the devastation. But now, at last, fire officials have lifted the veil, and the answer, perhaps predictably, stings with a bitter irony: target shooting. Yes, that recreational activity, a pastime for many, has been squarely blamed for sparking one of San Diego County’s most destructive blazes.

Think about it for a moment. This fire, it wasn’t some distant lightning strike or a capricious act of nature. Oh no, this was a human-caused tragedy, one that swept through thousands upon thousands of acres near the U.S.-Mexico border, leaving a heartbreaking trail of destruction. Homes, structures – all gone. And for a while, the official cause remained elusive, a blank space on incident reports. But diligent investigation, that painstaking work done behind the scenes, has finally brought clarity, a kind of closure for some, though the wounds, of course, run far deeper.

CAL FIRE San Diego, the very folks who battled those relentless flames, confirmed it: someone was out target shooting, and somewhere, somehow, a spark flew. That single spark, a seemingly insignificant moment, blossomed into a full-blown catastrophe. And honestly, it’s a tough pill to swallow. Because while we all understand accidents happen, there’s a distinct difference between an unavoidable tragedy and one born from what many might view as preventable carelessness.

Chief Tony Mecham, the leader at CAL FIRE San Diego, didn’t mince words on the matter, telling NBC 7 San Diego that target shooting, in his experience, “is probably one of the leading causes of wildfires in San Diego County.” And when you hear that, it kind of puts things into perspective, doesn't it? It's not an isolated incident; it’s a pattern, a recurring nightmare for fire crews and communities alike. The individual responsible for this particular fire will, as you'd expect, face charges. And you could say, rightly so.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen such a thing, either. Remember the Coyote Fire in 2018? Or the Joomacha Fire from the same year? Both, officials confirmed, ignited by target shooting. This isn’t just about the Border 32 Fire; it's about a persistent, dangerous issue that demands our collective attention and a serious re-evaluation of how and where we engage in such activities, especially during bone-dry conditions.

So, what now? The embers have long since cooled, but the scars on the landscape and in the hearts of those affected remain. It serves as a stark, frankly brutal, reminder for anyone who ventures out with a firearm in our beautiful, yet highly flammable, backcountry. Being aware of your surroundings, understanding the fire risk, and, most crucially, taking every conceivable precaution – these aren't just suggestions; they are absolutely vital responsibilities. Because a hobby, unchecked, can turn into a raging disaster in a literal blink of an eye. And nobody, truly nobody, wants to live through that again.