Important Fire Safety Information for LDRS!

The entire launch area is very dry, and the fire danger off the lake bed is EXTREMELY high, due to the fact that there has been less rainfall in the area over the past three years than at any time in recorded history. As anyone familiar with last year's Sawtooth Fire will attest, conditions like this are highly volatile: that fire saw 60,000 acres burned, and a dozens of buildings gone in less than an hour.

The terms of the land use permit obtained by ROC for LDRS 26 now include provisions explicitly allowing smoking, and campfires in suitable above-ground containers, as long as such activities are entirely within our perimeter on the dry lake bed (the area of our flight line, camping, vendor, and parking areas), and are kept at a distance of AT LEAST 1,000 FEET away from vegetation of any kind.

In other words, don't go closer than about a quarter-mile from the edge of the lake bed with any form of burning material, including cigarettes.

If you are out recovering a rocket, there is NO SMOKING, unless you are INSIDE your vehicle, with the windows completely rolled up. Do not open a window or door until you have completely extinguished your cigarette! A stray ember could easily spark a huge brush fire!

Allowing smoking and campfires by attendees at LDRS 26 is a very generous and gracious move by the BLM, and it is a testament to the extremely good reputation for the safe and considerate use of public lands that the amateur rocketry hobby enjoys.

There WILL be BLM and fire department officials out IN FORCE at LDRS 26, and they WILL be monitoring our activities, to ensure that we are, indeed, complying with the terms of our permit. They WILL be issuing citations, and even making arrests if necessary -- and the fines are nasty! -- so, let's make sure that they have no reason to do so.

Here's a quick summary of the rules:

• NO SMOKING OR OTHER FIRES OFF THE LAKE BED
• NO SMOKING OR OTHER FIRES WITHIN 1,000' OF VEGETATION
• Campfires are allowed in suitable above-ground containers (Washing machine tubs set on cinder blocks or bricks work well)
• Smoking and campfires are only allowed within the perimeter of the LDRS 26 area: stay WELL AWAY from the edge of the lake bed!
• Use common sense, and avoid any activity that might spread sparks or embers anywhere they might cause a fire.

ROC would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the BLM officials who have graciously placed their trust in us. We thank you, and pledge to prove ourselves worthy of that trust.