Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-12-03
FIRE ASSOCIATION
DOES GOOD WORK.


Wrought by Forest Fires in State.
Out of total of considerably over
zoe, 900 acres of land embraced within
the protected territory of the Central
West Virginia Fire Protective Asso-
citation, only 1864 acres have been
burned over during the recent heavy
forest fires which in many places have
wrought such destruction. There is
no possible estimate of the area
burned outside of the protected zone
but those who are in touch with such
matters have no hesitation in saying
that on every 100000 acres the loss is
very many more thousand acres than
on the unprotected land. And the sec
ret of success achieved by the officers
and patrolmen of the government and
the association is in fighting fires
when they are so small that they do
not amount to anything; in prevention
rather than cure. This is how it
has been possible to prevent heavier
loss and destruction in the protection
zone.
There is no question but that dur
ing the last few weeks West Vir-
ginia has passed through one of the
most severe periods of fire dangers
and loss that the state has ever ex-
perienced Weather conditions were
such that fire would kindle almost
at once among the dry leaves if the
spark reached them, and once kindled
high winds which prevailed for seve-
raj days at time made fire fighting
tremendously difficult and in many
cases very dangerous.
As has been previously stated there
are over 100000 acres embraced with
in the zone of adequate fire protection.
On this land the fire loss has been
much less than upon an equal area
of unprotected land. The association
has had its most serious fires TO COM
bat and conquer within the last two
or three weeks. The bulk of the fires
were largely from unprotected land
which burned over onto association
land and gained Roadway before the
organized forces of the association
under w. Hoyt Weber, field manager,
could fight them In connection with
the activities of the federal govern
fofn he
Mr. Weber, the field manager, has
compiled some very interesting data
showing the areas burned over, the
minimum to which the fires have been
held, causes of fires, and instances
and illustrations of promptness, and
organization which have saved many
On Sept. 20, the lookout at Gladly
saw wisp of smoke curling up
through the trees after a lumber en-
CINE had passed along. He rushed
down the mountain side, asked man
he met to notify the superintendent of
the fire and FASTENED to the fire. The
superintendent joined him in a few
minutes and the two men put out the
fire before it had covered half an acre.
There were little fires along in Oc-
tober but none of them covered more
than an acre or an acre and a half.
On November 2 fire on Days Noun
tain outside of the protected zone
burned over $50 acres but the associa-
ton officials helped to get it under
control On November a fire
swept over about 500 acres in the
Wildell section. The fire came from
what is known as the Sinks country,
an area outside the protected zone. Of
course when it had reached such large
dimensions that it required large
force of men to put it out. Another
fire on November II near Parsons and
one on November s near Gladly, burn
ing over rs and $50 acres respectively
show how successful the association
has been in preventing fires of any
material extent. The organized fire
fighters in all instances fought the
outside fires when they threatened as
ISOLATION land or when they could get
at such fires. On November IL, w.
Hoyt Weber the association field man
ager, says he observed seven fires in
the region of the east of the Green
brier river each of which at that time
spread over more than 500 acres, out
side of protected territory.
1t is not alone timber which has
been saved but fences and crops as
well. In a fire on Days Mountain, No
vember 2, one farmer had his fences
and fields saved by the prompt action
of patrolmen and firefghters in fight
ing the fire before it reached the
farmer.
On October % at Parsons the as
ISOLATION fighters fought fire which
burned over seven acres outside of
association land. 1t happened that
man who owned 100 acras of woodland