East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-10-06
LOSS FROM FIRE
SMALL ON COAST
TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF TIMBER
WILL BE ABOUT 100000
FEET.


PORTLAND, Ore, Oct. 6.-About
average weather danger to contend
with, but total destruction of tim
her by fire of only about million
feet worth less than $4,000. against
the previous lowest record of 20 mil
lion feet in 1911. is the record of the
Pacific coast forest protective associ-
auons which patrol over 20 million
acres from the Montana Rockies to
northern California, containing Il fifth
of the nations entire timber supply,
according to reports compiled today
by the Western Forestry * Conser-
walton association for the season up
to September 80, usually considered
the end of serious fire danger. state
and government protective agencies
report equal success. There has been
practically no loss in the national for
ests. Damage to logs and camp equip
ment by slashing fires is also the low
est on record, being estimated at S10,-
900.
Review of the seasons hazard by
all agencies shows that while 1t at
no time overtaxed protective organl-
zation, this was due to improvement
in the latter rather than to unusually
favorable weather. The year is re-
ported TO have been much safer than
1902 and 1910 ana perhaps little
safer than 1911, but worse than 1912,
and about like the average of others
in the past. About $500 fires worthy
of report were eXtinguished by the
combined patrol forces. There were
many dry hot periods during which
these might have been highly destruc-
tive il not promptly handled. 1t i;
commonly estimated that before pa,
troll work became organized in the
Pacific northwest the average los,
was we'll over a billion feet, occurr-
ing in just such years as 1913 because
countless small fires We're neglected
| to be famed up in hot windy days.
! The Western Forestry & Conserva
tion association regards 1918 as a tes
year which shows protective facilities
now perfected to a point which, to
gether with greater care by public
loggers and railroads dut to constan
educational efforts, practically in
sures safety in the normal season. 1t
chief advances have been in cheap
ening and increasing patrol efficienc
through systematic cooperation be
tween private, state and federal fore
es; in greatly extending trail, tele
phone and lookout facilities: in un
precedented precaution by loggers an
railroads; in disposal of dangerou
slashings, and in improvement of pub
lie sentiment. But all the reports re
ceived emphasize that no cessation c
effort Is safe even in the average yea
diture Is necessary to safeguar
against the abnormally bad condition
that are sure to occur occasionally
the future as they have in the pas
1t is announced today that all pr
vate, state and government fore
protective agencies in the wester
United States and Canada will hol
a forest fire conference in Vancouve
B. c., December 3 and l6 to discu
patrol and fire fighting methods ar
particularly plans for close co-ope
alton in 1914 The British Columb
and United states forest department
the transcOntinental railroads. and Il
. western state forest officials will pa
J, ticipate, as well as the private patr
= associations from five states compri
ing the Western Forestry & Conserv
ton association