Range-fire accident report released Published May 16, 2006 Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) -- A training munition released by a B-1B aircraft at the Melrose Bombing Range Nov. 30, 2005, started a fire that burned approximately 26,000 acres of grazing and farmland and damaged or destroyed privately owned structures, fencing, wells, livestock, animal feed and crops, according to Air Force investigators. The aircraft, on a training mission from Dyess AFB, Texas, released a Bomb Dummy Unit on the range, located approximately 24 miles west of Cannon AFB, N.M. The munition’s spotting charge, roughly equivalent to the charge of a shotgun shell, started the fire. One Melrose volunteer firefighter suffered a broken ankle en route to the fire. There were no human fatalities. According to the Accident Investigation Board report released Tuesday, May 16, Cannon AFB’s Operations Support Squadron and Civil Engineer Squadron leadership failed to recognize the level of fire danger and implement reasonable safety measures to mitigate the risk of an uncontrollable fire at the range. At the time of the mishap, the risk of an uncontrollable fire was high due to a myriad of factors including an understaffed range fire department, inoperable communication equipment, a large amount of vegetation overgrowth and high winds. Despite the existing hazards, range personnel permitted aircraft to drop practice munitions known to start fires when the fire condition and risks exceeded the resources available to control a potential fire. For more details, contact the 27th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office at (505) 784-4131, or by e-mail at 27FWPublicAffairs@cannon.af.mil.