Putnam patriot., 1911-04-14
Fast Day and Forest Fires in Con.
 nectiCut.

Fast Day and Forest Fires in Con-
 necticut.
 The following has been sent out ss waning by the State Forest Fire War den.
 Friday, April l4th, Fast Day, re- calls the serious fires which occurred on Fast Day, 1910 Ten thousand acres were burned over by sixty three fires, with damage estimated al about S40, ,ao0 This k the worst record for one day in many years, and carries a warming for the coming holiday Il drought agan prevails, Fast Day followed several weeks of dry weather and a high wind blowing bnder such conditions burning brnsh and rubbish near woodland was very dan gerous business, and yet many people chose he day for that purpose.
 The bad record for that day may be laid to unusual conditions and thought less Use of holiday. Of the sixty 1 three fires reported, seventeen were at tnbuted 10 sparks from locomotives, but the rest 10 brush burning, careless ness, incendiarism, and unknown causes, doubtless of A similar nature. The careless and criminal setting Of fires by holiday pleasure seekers is diff. ficult to control except by arousing l public sentiment and oy enforcing our present good laws on this subject. It Is Vitslly important that The people understand the forest laws, which fol- low, and their obj et, which Is conser- vation of our forests.
 General Statutes Section 1920. No person shall kindle fire upon pubie land, without authority, nor upon the land of another without permission oi the owner thereof, or his agent.
 General Statutes Section 1921. as amended by Chap, 4S Pubic Acts of I l907l. No person shall kindle, nor au. thort2e another To kindle fire in his woodland, unless all combustible ma terials for the space of twenty feet sur l rounding the place where said fire is l kindled have been removed, nor shall any such lire be jeff until eNlinguished l or safely covered.
 General Statutes Section 1212 as amended by Chap. 2Ss, See. \, Public l Acts oi l90ol Fires kindled hy throw 1 ing down a lighted match, cigar, or other burning substance, shall be 1 deemed within the provisions of Secs. l22N and l22l, and every person vioiat- l ing any provision of said sections shail 1 be fined moi more than five hundred l dollars, or imprisoned not more than six months, of both.
 This year Fast Day is three weeks later than in 1910, and since much of The spring burning will be accomplish ed before that ume, the forest fire rec ord for the day Will doabtless he lower. During the year 1910 seYenty-two Hres l started for Inc legitimate purpose ol burning brush and rubbish were re- ported aS getting beyond control and doing much damage before they were eNtingalshed. This WAS S per cent of the total number ot forest fires Of the year, and the resulting damage was about Sl0,ooo, or per cent of the total damage
 Brush fires are very evident source Of depreciation in forest property values of the N hole State which might be almost wholly prevented by proper measures. The General Assembly of lSo9, recognizing this fact, enacted Seenon l, Chapter I2s Public Acts Of 1 1909.
 Every person, except ss hereinafter ] provided, who shall kindle or author ire smother to sindle 8 fiFe in the open air, outside the limits of any city, borough, or land controlled ny any railroad company, for the purpose of burning bushes, weeds, grass, or rub biSh of any kind, between The fifteenth day of March and the inst day of June, and the fifteenth dsy of September and the tifteenlh day of NovemoeF, in any year, without rrsl obtaining from the ne warden of The district written per