Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-10-20
FOREST FIRES.

Last Year Memorable for Forest Fire
Destruction.
Forests fires caused considerable dam
age in many parts Of the country during
the present year. 1t will be several
months before the total destruction is
known, for the fire season has consider
able time to run. In figuring out this
comparison with losses for last year
which, according to rreadwell Cleveland,
IT,, in the year book Of the department Of
agriculture, will cause 1908 to be long re-
membered.
"a dry season, combined with what
seemed to be even more than the usual in
difference toward small fires which might
easily have been extinguished at the
start" says Mr.. Cleveland, ''caused de-
structive confagrations in practically
every state, with losses aggregating $780,
O,O0O.
s'In comparison with the havoc wrought
elsewhere, the damage done to national
forests WIS exceedingly slight. Had fires
ragged within the forests as they did out
side, they would have destroyed timber
worth $4,000 ,0O0-enough to run the
forest service for six years. Moreover, it
is practically certain that most il not all
of the damage which was done might have
been prevented had the forests been fully
manned"
'sFinally, the estimates OF loss made by
the service on national forests are particu-
larly searching, and take full account of
the injury done to young growth. Com
monty, estimates of loss from forest fires
are based upon the damage done to stand
ing timber and to property; they do not
reckon the usually far greater loss in in
jury or destruction Of young growing
stock"
The methods by which the government
keeps down the fire losses in the national
forests include:
l. Constant and systematic patrol by
picked forces OF rangers and guards.
2. The construction Of roads, trails
and telephone lines, which facilitate the
massing OF large fire-fghting forces.
8. The construction Of fire lines which,
in some instances, check the spread of
fire without human help.
A. The equipment OF the forests with
fire-fghting tools and other supplies nee
essary in fighting fires. The supplies Of
tools are kept at convenient points at all
times in order to have them easily &C.
cessible to forest officers, in case fires
break out.
5. Cooperation with railroads, timber
land owners, and settlers in fire protec-
ton, in this way making it possible to
protect both the lands of the companies
and the forest service at a much smaller
cost to the government than would be the
case were the national forest lands alone
protected by the local officers.
just as the practice of forestry is i'm
portant in the movement for the con-
servstion OF all natural resources, so is
the protection of the forests from fires
important in the furtherance of rational
forest work. In fact, forestry in many in
stances means nothing more than con-
sentative numbering and the prevention
of forest fires.
Uncle Sam realizes that only through
the wise use and care of the forests will it
be possible to make natural timberland
permanently productive. The practice of
forestry does not mean sbbreviating the
use of the land. Instead, conservative
numbering and protection of the young
growth from fire will bring about stead
lily increasing use, for with cultivation
and care the yield of the forest increases
and the product improves in the same way
that the value OF the farm increases under
q proper system of management.