Target Shooter Confesses to Igniting Sawmill Fire, Sheriff’s Report Reveals

A target shooter has confessed to starting the brushfire that escalated into the vast Sawmill Fire, as per a newly released report from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. The individual, identified as Dennis Dickey, approached a sheriff’s deputy near the origin of the fire on April 23. The blaze erupted near Madera Canyon, south of Tucson.

Dickey informed Deputy Benjamin Harrison that he had been using Tannerite, an easily accessible explosive powder, during target shooting. According to the deputy, Tannerite can be detonated by a high-velocity rifle round and has been implicated in wildfires across multiple Western states.

Dickey also mentioned that he was among those who reported the fire. This information was revealed in the sheriff’s report, which was released following a public records request filed on May 1.

The report does not disclose that Dickey is a Border Patrol agent. However, the Border Patrol has confirmed that one of its agents is being investigated for off-duty recreational shooting that caused the fire. The fire ignited on state land where target shooting is prohibited. The Forest Service is conducting an investigation but has declined to comment on its progress.

Tucson attorney Sean Chapman, representing Dickey, stated that his client is cooperating with the authorities. When contacted, a woman at Dickey’s Green Valley home declined to comment, stating, “We already have a lawyer. We’re not allowed to speak to anyone. … Do not contact us.”

The Sawmill Fire, fueled by strong winds, rapidly spread across approximately 47,000 acres of state, federal, and private land. Authorities reported the firefighting efforts cost $7.3 million.

Mark Heitlinger, manager of the Santa Rita Experimental Range, addressed the need for stricter regulations to prevent target shooting on state trust land in an email dated late April. He described the current ban as “somewhat of a loose regulation” and suggested that a more stringent statute might heighten awareness and consequences associated with such activities.

The initial reports of the fire surfaced shortly after it began along Box Canyon Road, east of Madera Canyon. A caller informed authorities that sparks from shooting at a metal target caused the fire.

The fire ignited on a privately-operated cattle ranch within the 80-square-mile experimental range, managed by the University of Arizona researchers for sustainable grazing practices. Sheriff’s Deputy K.V. Joyce noted that Andrew McGibbon, owner of the Santa Rita Ranch, reported the area was commonly used for illegal target shooting. McGibbon and his family were evacuated as the fire approached their property.

In a follow-up email on April 27, Heitlinger emphasized the severity and costs associated with the Sawmill Fire, urging the need for stronger measures beyond the current policy restricting target shooting on state land. In an interview, he added that enforcement officers face challenges in preventing target shooting under the existing permit conditions.

Heitlinger pointed out that signs prohibiting target shooting are posted within the range, but the vast area makes comprehensive posting a substantial task. He acknowledged that while some signs are present near the fire’s origin, the entire range is not fully marked.