The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-11-19
How Do Forest Fires Start

WASHINGTON, D. c., November Is.
What starts these forest fires? This
question has been asked over and over
again this summer by readers of the ac-
counts 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 a
result of the carelessness of some camper,
or from sparks flying from locomotives,
but there are a number of things which
set the woods afire.
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 ac-
count for the damage done by the blazes
on his ti1nberland under forest admins
tration, aggregating about l69, 600, 600
acres, and each year the total area burn
ed over. the cumberland 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
reports are made at the end of the calen-
dar wear, and the announcement OF this
wears losses will therefore not be known
for more than two months.
Last years figures, however, give
good idea of the things which cause tires
in forests. Of the l. 55 fires discovered
on the national forests last year, all OF
which were checked by the rangers be-
fore they had burned over fourteen hun
dredths of one per cent Q4-lO0 OF per
cent? of the national forest area, camp
ers caused 346, while railroads followed
next with 273; lightning came next, with
176; donkey engines used in numbering
operations, fourth, with IS; careless brush
burning by homesteaders clearing land,
"a; fires caused by incendiaries and those
set by herders and hunters, 30. For more
than 400 of the fires the cause is not
known. This is not strange when II is
remembered that fire may smolder Tor
DAYS, if the air is too thick to permit the
smoke to be seen at a distance before 1T
breaks out when famed by wind so as
to reveal it's presence to the watchful
forest officer.
While campers caused more fires than
locomotives last year, there are many
seasons when the railroads hold undls-
puted claim to first place. Forest nres
started by both are mostly unnecessary
If campers would exercise care in start
ing camp fires and be sure that they are
extinguished before they are lett, ana IL
the railroad companies would use the
most modern and efficient spark arrest
ers. it is reasonable to think that the an
nual 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. Care
less brush burning by homesteaders and
persons clearing land is said to 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 ma
tional forests has been kept busy lighting
fires which, if left to run unchecked
would have done incalculable damage
By euickening communication between
important points through the construc-
ton of telephone lines, and building roaos
and trails, the national forests have been
made more accessible during the past TWO
years and fire fighting has been greatly
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