The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1911-12-02
MARYLAND FOREST
FIRE LAWS AND
FOREST PROTECTION

protection of the forests that compare
favorably with the most progressive for
est legislation of other States (See Acts
of 1910, Chapter 1917 The following are
some of the important provisions:
forest Wardens =. commissioned
by the Governor in the several counties
for the purpose Of extinguishing fires and
enforcing the forest fire laws.
2-The Forest Wardens have full au-
thority to employ assistance, summon
help and adopt whatever may be neces-
sary to quickly extinguish forest fires.
They also have the power of arrest,
without warrant, in case of detected VIC
lations of the forest laws.
3-Every landowner, or tenant, or en-
ployee of such landowner OF tenant, is
required to control, so far as possible,
all forest fires that may burn upon his
own land, or upon land which he occu-
pies as a tenant or upon which he is
employed by the owner or tenant. The
Forest Warden will assist in extinguish-
ing such fires and employ outside help
at the expense of the State and county
when, in his judgment, the present force
unnecessary damage. Any landowner
who carelessy, or negligently, allows
fire to escape from his lands to the in
jury of other lands shall be liable for
the damage caused, and for the expense
incurred in extinguishing the fire.
4-fhe law states That every individ-
ual or corporation that carelessly, ne
DILIGENTLY, or wilfully, maliciously, or
with intent sets on fire, or causes or
procures to be set on fire, any woods,
brush, grass, grain, or stubble UII lands
not their own, shall be guilty OF INSIDE
meanor, and upon conviction be punish
able by fine of not less than s25 or
more than $1,000 or Imprisonment for
not less than thirty days or more than
one year, or beth such fine and imprison-
ment"
5-The tearing down, or defacng, of
any fire warning notice shall be punish
able by fine oil $40 for each and every
offense.
SIT shall be the duty of any person
who discovers a forest or brush fire, not
under the ,control or supervision of
some person, to eXtinguish it or to report
1t Immediately to the local Forest War
den, and failure to do so shall be pun
ishable by finv not to exceed $40, to DE
recovered upon complaint of the Forest
Warden
All engines, locomotives or boilers
opertaed in, through, or near forest or
brush are required to provide appliances
for the escape of sparks, or fire, from
their smoke-stacks, ash-pans and fire.
boxes. For failure to comply with this
ic fin nF
for each and every offense.
Fire is the greatest enemy of the for
est. In this State the loss from fires
amounts to many thousands of dollars
annually Most of the fires could be
checked or prevented entirely by timely
action. They usually start through the
carelessness of some one who is lot di-
rectly concerned in the loss resulting
from them. Concerted action on the part
OF owners of woodlands is nueAeu "
check this evil. 1t is in the rigid en-
forcement of our forest fire laws, in
which the State asks your cooperation
that we hope to make the woodlands
fully productive and investment in forest
property both safe and ,uIitable.
The damage that fires cause is not fully
appreciated. light surface fire that
sweeps through the woods, burning the
litter on the ground, is often regarded of
little consequence, and . thi.s l... ~
pens so often that it is one OF the neces-
sary evils, if evil at all As matter of
fact, ground fire not or'y yurns UP the
humus that is so important in forest
growth but burns the seeds and small
seedlings that are to take the place of
the trees not reaching maturity. Is
scars the base of the young trees, caus-
ing the bark to peel off, and subjects the
wood to decay. As the trees grow this
decay extends farther into the wood and
when the time comes to market the tim
Der, the butt log, which should furnish
the soundest and clearest of material is
largely waste
Repeated fires in the same woods nJl
only prevents young growth, but so i'm
poverishes the soil and Injuries the stand
ing timber that production is almost i'm
possible. The result is that thousands
OF acres of natural forest land are
bringing no revenue to the owners, not
even paying the taxes, simply from lack
of fires protection. Lands of the same
quality and similarly located, but which
have been protected from fires, are yield
ing valuable forest growth. If the fires
which are caused by carelessness, ne,-
ligence and those purposely set out, were
prevented, there would be an annual saw
ing to the woodland owners of the State
of over 100000.
The State has by Inv enactment of
forest fire laws, recognized its duty in
this matter of fire protection. Forest
Wardens have been appointed in all wood
ed sections where fires are frequent and
a forest patrol has been established in
the mountain section These men, acting
under the laws of the State, assist in
suppressing forest fires, and aid the
State Forester in the prosecution of all
violations of the fire laws
Each resident should bs,.---e familiar
with the fire laws and cooperate with
the local forest warden in their enforce
ment, since they are for the mutual
benefit of the community. When for
est fire mot under coptroD is observed
by anyone, he is requested t.. notify the
nearest forest warden, so that prompt