The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1909-07-03
FOREST SERVICE TO
FIGHT FIRES
Especial to Silver State News)

LAM, oregon, July % dhs
are being formulated for a cooperative
system of fire patrol between the for
est service and the Lumbermen s Pro-
teetive association in northern Idaho.
The associations represented are the
PotIaeh Timber association, Clearwater
Fire Protective association, Occur
d'Alene Timber Protective association
and the Pend Oreille Timber Protec-
tive association. The proposed agree
ment between the several associations
and the forest service for patrolling
the territory that comes within the
boundaries of the national forests in
Idaho, and the holdings of the several
private associations was unanimously
adopted at a joint meeting of the of
icers, directors and members of the
several associations interested, and is
substantially as follows:
/. The secretary Of zach association
is authorized to act with the district
forester or his representative in estab-
fishing 20 cooperative fire districts which
include national forest and association
lands up to any reasonable or necessary
limit outside of the national forest, de-
termining the acreage of the holdings
o. each party in each district, and es-
tablishing upon the basis of such acre
age a pro rata share which each party
shall pay of all expenditures, in addi-
tion to and not including the salaries
and travelling expenses of the men en-
gagged on actual patrol work, which
may be incurred in extinguishing for
est fires in that district.
2. The agreement is to apply only
to national forest land and to lands
onwed by the associations which are in
cluded in the cooperative fire districts
to be established in the manner above
prescribed.
3. The forest service is to furnish
such patrolmen on these areas as are
available under it's appropriation; and
the association will furnish not less
than an equal number for its lands, on
the basis of acreage per man. The SUI
pervisor of each national forest shall
make such arrangements as are praeti-
cable with the local fire wardens Of
the association to divide areas for pa
troll and any other arrangements advis-
able to avoid duplication of work and
to make the patrol by both parties most
economical and effective.
4. Every member of both patrol
forces in the cooperative FIRE district
is to keep a vigilant lookout for forest
fires and exert every effort to extin-
guish them, whether on lands belonging
to the association or to the govern
ment. The association and the forest
service shall furnish the services of all
their available employees to fight fires
which cannot be e~xtinguished by the
regular patrol forces of the district.
authorized to purchase tools and sup
plies, hire temporary men and pay 9TH
er expenses necessary to e%xtinguish any
fires in the district.
s. Each cooperative district viii be
placed for purposes of FIRE fighting in
charge of An officer to be agreed upon
by the forest supervisor and the sec
rotary of the association. This officer
viii assume charge, when present, of
all fires within his district. The first
patrolman who reaches a fire. the Of
fcer in charge Of the district not be
ing present, shall assume charge of the
FIRE until such district officer arrives.
6. The association agees to give the
forest service the privilege of con
structing roads or trails across their
holdings, not to exceed four feet in
width, for fire protective purposes.
During the latter part of May Dis
trict Forester Greeley met the secre-
taries of each association, and final
maps, outlining cooperative districts,
and definitely determining the pro
rata share for each district were CON.
pleted. This will insure the co-opera-
tive agreement being put into full force
and effect during the coming fire sea
SON.
The enormous destruction caused by
fires during the past season has made
it imperatively necessary that some
practical and systematic plan to protect
the valuable timber lands in northern
Idaho be adopted. Following the pas
sage of the Fallon fire law, this co.
operative agreement marks a strong
progressive move on the part of the
lumbermen and assures good effective
results in a badly fire-infested terri