The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-06
HOW FOREST FIRES START
Campers and Locomotives Largely Re
sponslble for Timber Loss

sponsible for Timber Loss
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 us
ual answer Many Of the other things
which start blazes in the forests are
forgotten. II is true that perhaps one
half to three-fourths of the forest fires
do begin as a result of the careless
ness OF some camper, or from sparks
lying from locomotives. but there are
a number Of things which set the
woods afre.
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
| 10 account for the damage done by the
! blazes on his tmberland under forest
administration, aggregating about l6S.
100000 acres, and each year the total
area burned over. the timberland
burned over, the amount of timber
| destroyed and its value, the cost of
| hghting 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 a
! gCCd idea of the things which cause
fires in forests or The 1855 fires dis
| covered On the National Forests last
year, an OF which were checked by the
fourteen hundredths OF the per cent
| ll4-l0O of ] per cent? of the National
| Forest area. campers caused 346. while
| railroads followed next with l76. don
key engines used In numbering opera
lions. fourth, with IS: careless brush
burning by homesteaders clearing
land, "a. fires caused by incendiaries
and those set By herders and hunters
For more than 400 OF the fires the
cause is not known This Is not
strange when II is remembered that a
fire may shoulder for days. II the air
is too thick TO permit smoke to be
seen at a distance before IL breaks
out when famed by a wind so as 70
reveal its presence to the watchful
forest officer
While campers caused more fires
tnan locomotives last year. there are
many seasons when the railroads hold
undisputed claim TO first place. For
est fires started by both are mostly
unnecessary. If campers would exer.
else care in starting camp fires and be
sure that they are eXtingushed be.
fore they are left. and II the railroad
companies would use the most mod.
ern and efficient spark arresters, Il 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 homestead
ers and persons clearing land is said
TO be the cause OF many Of the fires
which have started this year partic
ularly those which have swept over
the Lake States
The ranger force on many OF tn,
National Forests has been kept busy
fighting fires which, If left to run un
checked, would have done incalculabl,
damage BY quickening communica
b lion between important points through
the construction OF telephone lines
! and building roads and trails. the Nat
ional Forests have been more access
ible during the past two years and fir,
fighting has been greatly facilitated.