The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1911-10-03

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To the increasingly
large number of people
who do find 1t possible to spend the
summer and fall in the woods and
Mountains a note of friendly warning
At this time may not be amiss. This
Is the season when each year thou.
sands OF inexperienced and oftentimes
careless people enter the forest to
camp and fsh and wander, to let their
minds and bodies grow. How many
II these people realize what a menace
they are 10 that same forest which
hey admire. and to the old trees which
they reverence?
Even old. experienced woOdsmen are
aot always careful with their camp
nres. Hunters who have been in the
woods for 20 years often leave smol-
dering embers when they break camp.
This. OF course, is pure recklessness,
Tor these people know better. They
appreciate what consequences may fol-
low II the wind should fan the smol-
aerlng Goals. Usually, however, men
who have lived In the woods all their
lives or who frequent the forest re-
gions during portion of the year
ire very careful where they build camp
dres and how they leave them.
The question Of camp fires, like the
forest fires which may result from
them, must be handled differently in
different parts of the country and In
1lf1arQnf k{ndo oP
ence In the danger element is very ap-
parent between fire started in the
sandy soil beneath pine forest and
the deep dun beneath the spruce, Dur
Ing even the dry season 1t is perfectly
easy to clear away inflammable mate
rial and scoop out hole In the sand
where camp fire may be built with
comparative safety. In the spruce
forest 1t is different: great care must
be taken In the selection of the site
Tor a fire, since It will be apt to creep
back beneath the surface and to gain
Roadway after all trace of 1t Is sup
posed to have been extinguished. When
one digs fire hole in forest. such
as spruce or fir. 1t is necessary to dig
deep and find material that will not
smolder. or, better yet, select site
along some stream or lake shore where
there Is gravel or rocks.
Do not build large fires. They serve
no useful purpose. As an old Indian
said: Indian he build leetle fire.
stay up close. keep wa-a-a.rm. White
man he build great fire. stand way
back, roast one side, freeze other" It
Is too often true that campers, particu.
larly 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. OF course camp fres should
never be built against trees or stumps
where they are likely to smolder. It is
well to give thought to the fire some
little time before breaking camp. Do
not build up hot fire only an hour
or so before leaving the locality This
will save trouble In extinguishing the
last vestige fthe Goals and perhaps
save an extra bucket Of water carried
from an inconvenient spot
The question Of camp fires leads lit
orally to the question Of forest fires
Nearly every one who has been In the
woods during the dry season, whether
1t be In Maine or In British Columbia
has had the opportunity to prevent the
spread Of some incipient forest fire
Sometimes they are called upon tc
take part In controlling a fire we'll un
der Roadway. This kind OF work is
necessary. 1t may mean carrying wa
ter to pour upon smoldering fires in
dry peat in spruce or tamaracl
swamp; 1t may mean raking back the
leaves from creeping surface fire II
an oak thicket; 1t may mean digging q
trench through the leaf mold and duff
In forest of fir; very often 1t mean.
beating out with boughs the flames ad
vancing through grass and needles be
meath the pine; occasionally 1t mean.
the fighting Of fierce crown fires wher
a gale Is blowing. In the latter case
of course, fighting from the side ant
narrowing In the front of the fire II
one way of making progress. Anothel
Is to retreat to some favorable ridge
water course. or other natural poin
OF vantage, dig trenches, and back fir,
a strip across which the advancinf
IRE cannot travel.
Practically every state has laws max
Ing It misdemeanor to leave cam,
fires unextinguished. In Colorado tn,
penalty is $25 to 800, or Is to so days
imprisonment In Maine the penalt,
Is $50. In Montana Persons startin,
camp nres without taking suficien
steps to prevent spreading Of them. o.
railing to extinguish them before leav
Ing. are guilty Of misdemeanor and II
able to fine Of $4,000 or one year,
imprisonment"
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