The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1910-09-09
F9RE
IS
DANE lgs
Directions How 10 Fight Il
Are Given By the
Govern1ent.

I WASHINGTON, ~ c., Sept. -
lomcIais OF the UnIed States Depart
3ment of Agriculture are Of the opih-
ION that 1910 will hold the record
among many years. Tor the severity
of the losses from forest fires The
summer fires folIoWed spring sea-
son believed to have been the worst.
certainIy in the lake states known
! for a long time. NdF IS It wise to as
sumo that the danger is over whea
the fierce confagrattons which have
EcaIled forth in the mountain states
the efforts OF three federal depart
ments have been conquered The
forests will not be- safe until the
fall rain and SHOWS have once more
made a wet blankef OF the dry for-
est floor. That the total loss OF the
year will run up to- many millions
/ of dollars in considered certain.
/ How such losses may be prevented
is a matter OF general public con-
Germ. To the national forest timber
burned must be added great amounts
of states and private holdings. be-
sides the immense damage done To
town. farm and other property
Railroads have suffered from the iu-
terruption of traffic as wen as from
direct losses. A bulletin by Forester
Henry S. Graves discusses forest
fires and the proper methods of pre-
venting and fighting them, as fol-
lows:
In some sections Of the country
forest fires have always been of
such common occurrence that there
is a popular notion that they can not
be prevented The risk. from fires
can never be entirely eliminated, for
i'm the forest there is always in
flammable material which is very
easily ignited. They may, however,
be largely prevented, and under eff
acient organization their damage,
may be kept down to a very small
amount The problem is like that
in cities where fires can never be en-
tirely eliminated but where the risk
of loss to property may be reduced
almost to instgnificance.'
The Importance OF systematic pro-
vision for the early discovery of fires
and for getting a properly equipped
force OF fire fighters quickly to the
scene of an outbreak is insisted up"a
by Forester Graves. "A careful SUI
pervison or patrol during the dry
season. he says, lis one OF the most
important measures in organized
forest protection. One of the funda-i
mental principles in fire protection
is TO detect and attack fires in their
incipency." After pointing out the
value of iookouts, telephone or sis
nal communication and various
methods of patrol, the forester tells
how to fight fires. as follows:
THE principle OF fighting forest
fires are essentially the sane as
those recognized in fighting fires in
cities. The following are of the first
importance: % Quick arrival att
the fire: ca and adequate force; !
C3) proper equipment; a. a.
thorough organization of the fighting
crew. and go skill in attacking and
lighting fires. Quick access to fires isl
accomplished through the work of
supervision and patrol in discovering
fires before they have gained much
headway. and by we'll developed
system of communication through
the forest by roads and trails.
"a small fire may be put out by
one man. but in extensive forests
several hours may pass before the
fires can be reached. 1t is important
to secure an adequate force of men
and TO get them to the fire quickly.
I'm we'll organized system of patrol
the guard who discovers a fire COM
municates quickly to other guards
and to headquarters by telephone,
signal. or other means, and indicates
the number of men he needs.
THE efficiency OF the fire fighting
crew depends very largely on their
skill and experience, and particularly
on the skill and experience of the
man directing the work. It is not
only a question OF knowledge of how
to assign each man where his work
will be most effective, but there must
he Judgment exercised in determtn-
ing the general method of attack.
The character OF the fire, the charac-
ter OF the forest. the condition of
the atmosphere; the strength and di-
rectlon OF the wind, the rapldity with