The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-11-14
Hnw Do Forest Fires Sfari2

How Do Forest Fires Start?
What starts these forest fires? This
question has been asked over and over
ag ain this summer by readers Of Sae
accounts of the destructive fires whlca
have been raging in all parts of the
country.
Campers and locomotives, is the
usual answer. Many of the other
things which start blazas in the fores'
are f0rgotteo. Il is true that perhaps
one half to three fourths tire forrs
fires do begin as result OF the care,
lessness of some camper, or from
sparks flying frem 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 San, however, is most careful
TO account for the damage done by the
blazes or his cumberland under forest
administration, aggregating ABOUT
5000, 600 acres, and each gear the
total area burned over, the cumberland
burned over, the amount Of lumber
destroyed and its value, the cost Of
lighting fires, and the causes Of fires
are carefully checked up. These re
ports are made at the end Of tta Cal
endar year, and the announcement Of
this years losses will therefore not be
known for more than two months.
La years figures, however, give a
good idea of the things which a4se
dres IN forests. OF the 1855 fires dis
covered on the National Forests last
year, all of which we're 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 foli9tssd
with 273; lightning came next with IT6;
donkey engines used in numbering
operations were fourth, with IS; care
less brush burning by homeste aders
clearing land, 81; fires caused by
incendidries and these set by herders
and hunters, 30. For more than 400
of the fires the cause is not known.
This is not strange when it is remem-
bered that fire may smolder for days,
if the air is too thick to permit the
smoke to be seen at 9 distance before
it breaks out when fanned by a wind
SO as to reveal its presence to the
watchful forest officer.
While campers caused more fires
than locomotives last year, there are
many seasons when the railroads hold
claim to first place. For.
est fires started by both are mostly IN
necess airy. If campers would exercise
care in starting camp fires and be
sure that they are extinguished before
they are left, and if the railroad com
panies would use the most modern and
efficient spark arresters, it is reason
able to think that the annual forest fire
loss couid be reduced more than one
half. Lightning ranks third among
the causes of fires, and, of course, man
has no greater responsibility in his
case than TO put the fire out as soon as
possible after discovery. Careless
brush burning BY homesteadess and
persons clearing land is said to he
cause of macy of the fires which hare
started this year, particularly those
which have swept over the Lake states.
The ranger force on many of the Ma
tional Forests has been kept busy
fighting fires which, if left to run IN
would have done incalculable
damage. By quickeaing communica-
ton between important points through
the construction of telephone lines,
and building roads and trails, the Ma
tional Forests have been made more
accessible during the past two years
and fire fighting has been greatly
facilitated.