Caution: riding off-road vehicles on a bombing range could be hazardous to your health.
Naval Air Station Fallon is concerned about the public's safety because operations on bombing range Bravo-16 have increased significantly in the past several months.
Bravo-16 is one of several bombing ranges in Churchill County used by the U.S. Navy and other military branches. It is located southwest of Fallon and is accessed by Sand Canyon Road which extends south from the intersection of Solias and Lone Tree roads.
Maj. Will Mayberry, range officer for the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, said Bravo-16 was previously only used sparingly by training squadrons and rarely on weekends.
However, the Global War on Terrorism increased the need for ground training in desert areas similar to Afghanistan and Iraq " and that included the need for Bravo-16. Mayberry said ground forces are using live fire when training on the range and could potentially be training any time of the day or night, including weekends.
Mayberry said the U.S. Navy has recently scared trespassers off the range twice, and equipment was stolen from Bravo-17 that lies in Dixie Valley east of Fallon.
Bravo-16, which ATV riders cross to reach the Dead Camel Mountains, was established during World War II and is accessed by Sand Canyon Road, said Zip Upham, public affairs officer for NAS Fallon.
However, with the bombing range completely fenced and appropriately signed, there is little confusion when one enters the bombing range. Upham said residents are safe providing they remain on Sand Canyon Road and do not trespass into the fenced range.
Trespassers may find themselves in danger's way, as live ammunition and high-powered rifle-mounted lasers are used at the range. Mayberry said if training forces realize people are trespassing on the range, they will "check fire" and issue a radio alert to all personnel and "safe up" their weapons.
The training manager investigates the report before releasing the check fire.
"We're not going to chase people off the range," Mayberry said. "But we will detain them and turn them over to local authorities."
Aside from protecting the public's safety, Mayberry is concerned with protecting the government's equipment. Also, a limited amount of unexploded ordnance may be exposed on the range.
Bright yellow signs cautioning travelers of the range's potential dangers are being tacked to the fence surrounding Bravo-16, but that doesn't always stop trespassers. Mayberry said fences have been cut or run over in order for trespassers to gain access to the range.