Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-24
Thirty-Three Fire Fighters Are Dead
wind Dying Down.

Thirty-Three Fire Fighters Are Dead
wind Dying Down.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29.-Forest service
officials here issued a statement today
summing up reports from agents in the
field concerning the fires situation. The
situation in the MISSOURI district has inn
proved and the winds are less violent today,
says Associate District Forester silcox in
q dispatch received here,
Thlrty-three, fire fighters are known to
be dead in the Lolo and Occur d'Alene re-
gion and two more are reported to be IA
tally hurt. These figures cover only the
lives Of the fire fighters and no attempt
Is made to estimate the total loss OF ltfe
The summary Of the situation is con-
tanned In the telegram received at the bu-
reau this morning from Associate District
Forester Wilcox at Mlssoula. Foilowing
is the text Of the messenger
The known, dead-o of fire fighters in Lolo
and Occur d,Alene region now number
thirty-three. twith two. more reported
fatally hurt, Several large crews not yet
heard from and IN danger. All towns In
the ST. Regis and Saitese burned Wind
less violent tnday and hope to get rescue
and fire fighting parties started tomorrow.
SITUATION also better In Missoula, where
fire burning ranches IS under control, but
other fires are burning. F!resiin Gallatin
and Bear Tooth forests north of Yellow
stone National park also under control.
Supervisor Skeels reports three days high
wind. Town Of Tloy now in grave danger.
Entire Fisher river water shed on fire
and hundreds Of fighters forced to aban-
aon tools and supplies and flee. Sylvanite
destroyed and Yakt river watershed is
Sfire for miles. Upper Fisher, Yakt and
Pipe creek fires have been abandoned and
crews can probably get out sa fely. Moth
ing known of situation on F.athead and
Black Feet forests"
Acting Governor Jay Bowerman OF
Oregon. in a telegram to the forest service,
has offered the assistance of the state mill
itia. II Is expected the proffer will be &C
Depted.
The fires on the Colville Indian reserva-
lion are growing worse and can not be ex-
tlnguished without the aid of rain &C
oording to a telegram from Superintendent
Webster OF the reservation received at the
Indian bureau today The fires he says
are proving expensive and are threatening
the Indian ranches. While thus far they
have been confined mostly to dead and
down trees underbrush and grass It 4
feared that under prevailing high winds
the flames may. spread rapidly. He reports
the situation at Republic TO be growing
worse
Three companies oil troops to fight tn,
hires which have broken out In the Taho
national forest In California have beef
asked for In a message to the forest Ser
vice. The message, which comes from AS
sistant Forester Olmstead at San Fran
disco, gives the first Information that tn
fires In that vicinity are proving serious.
The War department ordered three com
panies OF troops from the Preside barracks
San Francisco. 70 the Tahoe forest for fir
fighting duty
Pack trains as far distant from III
burning forests as Fort Meade. n. ID
and Fort Robinson. Neb.. are being keI
In readiness under orders OF the War d.
partment 10 be dispatched SHOULD the d,
mRnd for them arise The expense to Il
War department In sending aid in fightiu
the fires is footing up into the thousands
dollars. 1t is probable congress will I
asked to make a deficiency appropriate
TO cover the expenses incurred.