The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-10-28

What starts these forest fires? This
question has been asked over and
over again this summer by readers OF
the accounts of the destructive fires
which have been raging in all parts OF
the country.
Campers and locomotives, is the
usual answer. Many of the other
things which start blaZes in the forest
are forgotten. 1t is true that perhaps
one-half to three-fourths of the forest
fires do begin as result of the care
lessness of some camper. or from
sparks flying from locomotives. but
there are a number of things which
set the woods a-fire.
A complete report of forest fires on
the private forests of the country and
their causes is not kept by anyone
Uncle Sam, however, is most careful
to account for the damage done by the
blazes on his timberland under forest
administration, agsresating ABOUT 1853,
100000 acres, and each year the totai
area burned over, the timberland
burned over, the amount of timber
destroyed and its value, the cost OF
fighting fires, and the causes of fires
are carefully checked up. These re-
ports are made at the end of the cal
endar year, and the announcement OF
this years losses will therefore not
be known for more than two months
Last years figures, however, give
good idea of the things which cause
fires in forests. OF the 1855 fires dis
covered on the national forests last
year, all of which were checked by
the rangers before they had burned
over fourteen hundredths of one per
cent of the national forest area
campers caused 346, while railroads
followed next with 273; lightning came
next, with 176; donkey engines used
in numbering operations, fourth, with
So; careless brush burning by home
steaders clearing land. 81; fires caused
by incendiaries and those set by herd
ers and hunters, so. For more than
400 of the fires the cause is not
known. This is not strange when it is
remembered that fire may smoldeI
for days, if the air is too thick to per
NIT the smoke 10 be seen at a dis
lance before it breaks out when fan
ned by wind so as to reveal its pres
ence to the watchful forest officer.
While campers caused more fires
than locomotives last year, there are
many seasons when the railroads hold
undisputed claim to first place. Fores-
fires started by both are most unnec
essary. If campers would exercise
care in starting camp fires and be sure
that they are eXtinguished before they
are left, and if the railroad companies
would use the most modern and eff
ficient spark arresters. it is reasonable
to think that the annual forest fire
loss could be reduced more than one
half. Lightning ranks third among
the causes OF fires, and of course, man
has no greater responsibility in this
case than TO put the fire out as soon
as possible after discovery. Careless
brush burning by homesteaders and
persons clearing land is said 10 be
the cause of many of the fires which
have started this year, particularly
those which have swept over the
lake states
The ranger force on many of the
national forests have been kept busy
fighting fires which. If left to run I'm
checked, would have done incalculable
damage. BY quickeninS communica-
tion between important points through
the construction of telephone lines
and building roads and trails, the ma
fionaI forests have been made more
accessible during the past two years
and FIRE fighting has been greatly IA
cilitated