The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1913-11-18
Severe Test Of Forest
Fire Protective System

In casting up accounts Tor the
1913 fire season throughout Arizona
and New Mexico, Forest officials
find reason for qualification in ihc
tact that despite exceptionally
dangerous conditions and an un.
usually large number OF forest fires
started, - per cent OF these fires
were located and eXtinRuished be.
tore they had burned over an area
OF more than 10 acres. Nearly half
OF the total number OF fires on
National Forests in the third dis
irict We're confined to an area OF
less ttan one acre.
The records OF the Forest Ser
vices Albuquerque office show
that the fire season this year set in
toward the latter part of last April
Since that time about SIS fires have
been discovered and put out in Ari.
losa and New Mexico Forests.
In looking over the reports on the
origin Of fires it is evident that
lightning played a large part in
starting fires this year. About 90
per cent OF all fires are reported to
have begun this wav, while a big
proportion OF the Ia per cent OF un.
known origin may fairly be attri-
buted to electrical storms. One
percent only was charged to in
cendiarism while 9 per cent of the
total are laid to careless campers.
Commenting upon the fire season
as whole, District Forester Ring.
land said: AS a rule the fire season
in the Southwest is limited to the
dry months of late spring and early
summer. Relief is usually felt by
the beginning OF the rainy season
in the middle OF July. During the
past summer there has been a lack
OF general rains and a number Of
fires occurred during August. Scat.
tered rains reduced the fire danger
in early September but since the
country got no through soaking ex,
cept in the high mountain regions
Of northern New Mexico, the re-
cent dry spell was much more SER
ious than would have normally
been the case"
This general drought during the
latter part OF October created
a dangerous situation in a mum
Der OF National Forests. Reports
received at the Albuquerque Office
about November first caused hasty
preparations for a fall fire season.
Special patrol men were appointed
in the chief danger zones and look.
outs who had not been needed for
a month or six weeks previously
were reinstated. The recent rains
with snow storms in the higher
mountains have relieved the situa.
ton, however, and nc considerable
hazard remains"
Our fire protective system has
undergone a scver test this year,
and in general the results were
gratifying. 1t is, OF course, i'm.
possible to altogether prevent
starting OF fires, particularly when
caused by lightning, IL is necessary
to bend all OF our efforts toward
locating fires when started and
putting them out as speedily as
possible. In this | feel that we
have been exceptionally fortunate
during the past summer, when the
uniavorable weather conditions are
taken into account. | think that our
lookout and patrol system, as II
system, has been proved efficient.
The degree TO which we can reduce
the fire danger in the future, will
come largely, | believe, from the
amount OF money we can spend on
fire trails, telephone lines and
other. protective improvement
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