Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1911-08-23

10 the increasingly
large number of people
VINO GO md 1t possible to spend the
summer and fall In the woods and
mountains note of friendly warning
NJ this time may not be amlss This
the season when each year thou.
SANDS or inexperienced and oftentimes
careless people enter the forest to
ramp and nsh and wander, to let their
minds and bodies grow. How many
u these people realize what a menace
tney are TO that same forest which
hey admire, and to the old trees which
they reverence?
Even old. experienced woodsmen arc
not always careful with their camp
'nres. Hunters who have been I'm the
WOODS Tor 20 years often leave smol-
1erins embers when they break camp.
ms or course. is pure recklessness,
'lor these people know better. They
appreciate what consequences may fol-
low III the wind should fan the smol-
uering Goals. Usually. however. men
VINO nave lived in the woods all their
hves or who frequent the forest re-
sions during a portion of the year
are very careful where they build camp
hres and how they leave them.
Inc question Of camp fires. like the
Forest fires which may result from
tnem, must be handled differently i'm
nlHerent parts Of the country and in
dluerent kinds of forest. The differ
ehce In the danger element Is very ap-
parent between a fire started in the
sandy soil beneath a pine forest and
the deep duff beneath the spruce Dur
ing even the dry season 1t is perfectly
easy 10 clear away infiammable mate
RAJ and scoop out hole I'm the sand
Where a camp fire may be built with
comparative safety. In the spruce
FOREST 1t is different; great care must
Dc taken in the selection of the site
tor nre, since II will be apt to Green
pack beneath the surface and to gain
headway after all trace of Il Is SIM
posed to have been extinguished When
one digs a fire hole in a forest such
as spruce or fir. it is necessary to dig
oeep and find material that will not
slnoider. or, better yet, select a site
along some stream or lake shore where
there is gravel or rocks.
DO not build large fires. They servo
no useful purpose. AS an old Indian
said; Indian he build IeetIe fire
stay up close. keep wa-a-a-rm. White
man he build great fire, stand way
BACK roast one side, freeze other" II
10 TOO often true that campers. particu.
aarly those who are but slightly woods.
wise, pile on the wood to their own dis.
comfort and sometimes to their immi-
nent danger and that OF the surround.
ing forest. or course camp fires should
never be built against trees or stumps
where they are likely to smolder. II Is
well to give thought to the fire Soma
httie time before breaking camp. DO
not ouild up hot fire only an hour
or so before leaving the locality. This
VIII save trouble In extinguishing the
tast vestige o fthe Goals and perhaps
save an extra bucket of water carried
from an inconvenient spot.
The question of camp fires leads Iit.
orally to the question of forest hres
Nearly every one who has been IN tic
woods during the dry season, whether
IL De IN Maine or in British Columbia
mas had the opportunity to prevent the
spread Of some incipient forest fire.
sometimes they are called unon IN
take part n controlling a fire well nm
der Roadway. This kind OF work 10
necessary. 1t may mean carrying wa.
Ter 10 pour upon smolderlng fires In
dry peat in a spruce or tamaracl,
swamp; 1t may mean raking back tho
ieaVes from creeping surface fra I'm
an OAK thicket; II may mean digging a
trench through the leaf mold and duff
Ia forest Of fir; very often IL means
beating out with boughs the flames nd.
vancing through grass and needles be.
meath the pine; occasionally IL means
the lighting Of fierce crown fires when
gale is blowing. In the latter case
or course, fighting from the side and
narrowing In the front OF the fire "a
one way Of making progress. Another
- 70 retreat TO some favorable ridge.
water course. or other natural point
or vantage. dig trenches, and back fire
a strip across which the advancing
bre cannot travel
Practically every state has laws max.
Ing IT a misdemeanor to leave camn
hTes unextinguished. In Colorado the
penalty Is S25 to 800, or 10 to so days
imprisonment In Maine the penalty
- 800. In Montana Persons starting
camp fires without taking sufficient
steps to prevent spreading Of them. or
failing 70 extinguish thon before Ieav.
ing, are guilty Of mlsdemeanor and a.
able to a hne Of $4,000 or one years
Imprisonment"