Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-09-09
fire LOSS is HEAVY
SUMMER OF 1910 WILL HOLD
RECORD FOR SEVERITY.

Forests VIII Not Be Safe Until Raj
3 Falls-Losscs VIII Reach sNIany
} Millions Of Dollars.
) Officials of the U. S. Department O
Agriculture are of the opinion tina
1910 will hold the record among man,
years for the severity of the losse
from forest fires. The summer fire
followed a spring season believed Il
d have been the worst, certainly in tn,
Lake States, known for a long time
Nor Is it wise to assume that the dan.
ger is over when the fierce confiagra.
tions which have called forth in the
Mountain States the efforts of three
Federal Departments have been CON
quered. The forests will not be safe
until the fall rains and SHOWS have once
more made a wet blanket of the dry
forest floor. That the total losses OF
the year will run up to many millions
of dollars is considered certain.
How such losses may be prevented
is matter of general public concern,
To the National Forest timber burned
must be added great amounts on State
and private holdings, besides the i'm
mense damage done to town, farm, and
other property. Railroads have suf-
fered from the interruption of traffic
as well as from direct losses. A bulle-
tin by Forester Henry S. Graves dis
cusses forest fires and the proper
methods of preventing and fighting
them, as follows:
I'm some sections of the country
forest fires have always been of such
common occurrence that there is pop
ular notion that they can not be pre-
vented. The risk from fires can never
be entirely eliminated, for in the for
est there is always infiamable material
which is very easily ignited They may,
however, be largely prevented, and un-
der efficient organization their dam
age may be kept down to very small
amount The problem is like that in
cities, where fires can never be entire
ly eliminated, but where the risk of
loss to property may be'reduced almost
to insignificance."
The Importance of systematic pro-
vision for the early discovery of fires
and for getting properly equipped
force of fire fighters quickly to the |
scene of an outbreak is insisted upon
by Forester Graves. "A careful SUPER
vision or patrol during the dry season."
he says, "is one of the most important |
measures in organized forest protec-
tion. One of the fundamental princi-
pies in fire protection is to detect ard /
attack fires in their incipiency" After
pointing out the value of lookouts,
telephone or signal communication
and various methods of patrol the
Forester tells how to fight fires, as
follows:
The principles of fighting forest
fires are essentially the same as those
in fighting fires in cities.
rhe following are Of first importance,
(1) Quick arrival at the fire; CD an
adequate force; (3) proper equipment;
)4 a thorough organization of the
lighting crew, and (5) skill in attack
ng and fighting fires. Quick access to
Tres is accomplished through the work
If supervision and patrol in discover
ng fires before they have gained much
Roadway, and by a well developed
ystem of communication through the
crest by roads and trails.
IA small fire may be put out by one
nat, but in extensive forests several
.ours may ] ass before the fire can be
cached. 1t is important to secure an /,
dequate force of men and to get them
o the fire quickly. In a well-organ-
zed system of patrol the guard who ,
iscovers a fire communicates quickly !,
o other guards and to headquarters
y telephone, signal, or other means,
nd indicates the number of men he
eeds
The efficiency of the fire-fghting !
rev depends very largely on their
kill and experience, and particularly .
n the skill and experience of the men
Erecting the work. 1t is not only a
uestion of knowledge of how to as
gn each man where his work will be .
lost effective, but there must be judg- .
lent exercised in determining the =
eneral method of attack. The charac- n
II of the fire, the character OF the for =
st, the condition of the atmosphere, =
he strength and direction of the wind; :,
he rapidity with which the fire is
inning, and many other points have !,
be taken into consideration" =
flor dacarghfuO hauy o.,rfooo R~1o
ay be put out by beating. by throw 81
g sand or loose earth. and by other n
ethods, the account goes on: a,
Sometimes the front of the fire is n,
fierce that il Is impossible to meet n
directly. One method under such :,
rcumstances is to direct the course n,
the fire. The attack is made on the
les near the front. separating the N,
rward portion OF the fire from the a
ain wings A part of the crew at a,
cks the forward part and others run ,t
wn and extinguish the wings The p
ont of the fire, attacked from the 81,
les, is forced gradually and con- =,
lntly into narrower path. Uusually bi
e front can be directed toward some ~
'ared space, road. pond, stream. h,
amp. or fire line. when it will be M
eeked enough to admit of a direct
mt attack. Sometimes by this plan
2 front may be rapidly narrowed
working from the sides. until Il is M
last entirely extinguished. The plan
giving direction to the course Of the
2 has often been successfully car
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