Graham guardian., 1914-05-22
PROTECT FORESTS
Be Careful with your Camp
Fires, Be Sure and
Put Them Out

The supervisor of the Apache Ma.
tional Forest, with headquarters al
SpringerviIle, Arizona, has just
issued to all the users of the fores,
resources in his vicinity, the follow.
ing letter:
Dear Sir:-With the coming OF
the dry, hot. summer season. and
the opening up of the Apache forest
to those who make use of its re.
sources for grazing of stock, for q
supply of timber or for recreation
purposes, the forest is made ex.
tremeIy liable to forest fires. Every.
one travelling, living, or fishing in
the forest must make use of fire in
camp. Some are careful with camp
fires, but some are not, which makes
the danger greater.
Forest fires are dangerous and
when they destroy stock range,
young and mature timber, and even
crops and ranches they mean a
money loss to you as we'll as to the
people of the whole country.
Protected forests increase in
value. They furnish labor. develop
the country, promote the stock
raising industry, keep down lumber
prices. keep the streams running.
afford recreation, fishing. hunting,
make region beautiful, make homes
safe and comfortable, make life worth
living and a prosperous state, in
habited with contented and industri-
GUS people.
The Forest Service is working
to protect the forests, and we ask
you as a forest user TO lend help
ing hands We need your assistance
and cooperation to help in keeping
fire from getting started. Will you
help? Will you be careful with
your camp fire? Dig pit for it or
clear trash from all sides of it. Be
sure your camp fire is out before
leaving it. Be as careful with fire
in the forest as you would in your
own home. Be sure your match is
out before you throw it away.
Matches have heads, but they don't
use 'em to think with. ....
Knock out your pipe ashes and
throw your cigarette or cigar stubs
where they can't start a fire. Cigar.
cite and cigar stubs have no heads
at all-you must think for them!
Would you put them in your pocket
still burning? No! Then don't put
them in the forest burning.
Bear in mind that an ounce of
prevention is worth weeks of fire
fighting. When you see fire, if,
you can't get to it yourself and put
it out. will you notify the nearest
forest officer?
In 1918 there occurred "a fires
on the Apache Forest. That mum.
Der must be reduced this year and
it can be done by taking care with
camp fires.
Any assistance you can give us
during the coming season will GER
tainly be appreciated" "
Supervisors of other forests thru
out the west and those in charge of
the Appalachian and White Mountain
forest areas in the east are getting
out similar letters. On or near each
forest there are great many per.
sons known to the forest officers as
forest users; that is, men who are
securing from the government tim
ber for their homes, their mines, or
for logging operations; forage for
their cattle or sheep; camping sites
or other rights connected with rec
reation, and various other special
uses of forest land. These letters
are part of the campaign which for
est officers claim is bearing abun.
dant fruit and which will, they hope,
bring about, within a few years, at
most, a sentiment against forest
fires quite rs strong as that which
prevails in the regions of intense
forestry in Europe.