Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1914-07-31
FOREST FIRE PERIL
Government Cooperating With
States for Protection.
Made Possible by a Law Passed by
Congress in 1911-Many States
Have Already Taken Advan-
tage of the Act.

Washington-A cooperative fire
agreement which has been entered
into between the U. S. department 81
agriculture and the state Of Michigan
provides for an expenditure by the
government of not to exceed $4,000
year toward meeting the expenses of
forest fire protection in Michigan.
This form of cooperation between
the government and the state is made
possible by a law which congress
passed in 1911, and which has already
been taken advantage of by the states
of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut. New
York, New Jersey, Maryland, West
Virginia, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Min
nesota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho,
Washington and Oregon.
The law, besides providing for the
purchase by the government Of lands
on the headwaters of navigable rivers
for the purpose of creating national
forests to protect these rivers, appro-
priated 100000 which the secretary
of agriculture might expend to pro-
tect similar lands in state or private
ownership from fire, in cooperation
with the states. 1t was provided in
the law that the federal expenditures
in any state should not exceed the
amount spent by the state itself in
the cooperative work. Provision for
continuance of the work in the fiscal
year which began July l has been
made by an appropriation Of 100000
for the year. The original appropria-
ton of 100000 was available until
expended, and with a supplementary
$4,000 has carried the work to the
present time.
The secretary of agriculture re-
quires as preliminary to co-operat-
ing with any state, that the state au-
thorities submit a definite plan show
ing in detail exactly what it is pro-
posed to do. With these plans are
required maps showing areas to which
protection should be given. These
areas must be actually on the water
sheds of navigable streams, and the
plan of protection we'll conceived and
thoroughly practical, with an organ
lied system of administration by state
officers.
The amount spent yearly in any
one state by the government is linn
tied to $4,000. 1t is used solely for
paying lookout watchmen or patrol
men. The state officials select these
men, subject to the approval Of the
department of agriculture. The maps
submitted to the government show
where each of the men will be To-
Gated, the approximate routes of pa
troll, and all features necessary to
clear understanding of the states
plan of fire control, including the loca-
ton of lookout stations, telephone
lines, headquarters of state fire war
dens, and the like.
Under the terms Of the cooperative
agreements. the secretary of agricu,-
at any time that he finds it not to be
conducted in a satisfactory manner.
In this way the responsibility for or
ganizing and maintaining the work is
placed upon the state which, however,
must keep it's system up to a good
standard of efficiency in order to have
the cooperation with the government
continued. Forestry officials of the
department of agriculture act as in
spectors to keep the department in
formed as to how the states are han
ding the work. Under this plan a
great advance has been made in the
development of efficient state systems
of fire protection.