Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-22
FOREST FIRES.
Timely Warning by Forest Commits.
sioner E. E. Ring.
Desires Aid of Interested Parties to
Prevent Fires in Woods.

Hon. L. T.. Ring, State forest COM
missioner, was seen by the Journal.
yesterday, and asked about the forest
fires said to be burning in different
PARTS of the State. During the CONVEX
sation which followed, Mr.. Ring said.
while there have been a few forest
fires this spring, rs yet, no very extern
sive ones have occurred. And still Ne
are liable II any time TO have a repeti-
ton Of the great Miramichi fire of sew
eral years ago, when millions of dol
lars worth of timber and other valu-
able property were destroyed. The mil
lion acre fire, too, was disastrous to
the lumber interests of the State. The
greatest care should be exercised to
prevent fires getting Roadway in the
woods, and SpOrtsmen and all others
who build fires in the forests for the
purpose Of cooking or for comfort
should be careful to see that the same
are put out before they leave them.
This Office has been engaged for
sometime in sending out notices tn the
municipal officers warning the people
10 be careful in guarding against the
possibility of fire. More than 10000
copies of the fire notices have been dis
tributed 50 far They have been sent
to the assessors Of plantations and the
sclectnten of towns and to lumber
operators in tn" timber sections of the
State. BY the provisions of law it is;
incumbent upon the municipal officers
to see to it that these fire notices are
properly posted within their iuriSdic-
ton and if they fail to do so they are.
dcrclict i'll the performance of their
duty.
Land owners ana others Interested
in the prevention of forest fires, who
have not received the notices which the
law prcscribcs shall be posted in con-
Spicuous places. may secure as many rs
they wish by communica ting with this
office. | am very anxious to do all III
my power and TO aid in every posi- BILE
way the owners Of timber lands il
preventing the starting Of fires in the
woods. for the danger to the timber
growth of the state from this source IS
very great.
The danger that is sometimes
feared that the pulp mills will destroy
The forests of Maine is not near so
great as that fire may DO so, and too
much prccautiun cannot be taken by
those who frequent the woods 10 pre-
vent even the r2motest possibility of a
FIRE being started.
The conditions Of the forests, today.
for y big fire to get underway are far
more favorable than they We're at the
time of the disastrous fires l have
spoken about. There is now grcat
deal of unde1hrush, leaves, dead limbs
and the like in the woods, while years
ago the forests were virgin and free
from such combustiblc material.
May and September are the two
most dangerous months III the year for
fires to start. Just now the trees are
comparatively bare of green foliage
and the sun, which is quite high, gets
at the undcrbrush and dries it up 10
such an extent tlat should Il fire break
out it would spread with great rapidity.
The same may be said OF September
After the heat Of the summer the trees
generally are dry as finder ana very
susceptible to fire.
If the municipal officers will faith
fully cooperate with me, and if land
owners viii aid them and this office in
every possible way. l feel certain that
VIC shall be able to avoid any serious
connagra ton in the woods this year"