The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-05-20
ELEVEN FIRES IN
State FORESTS
REPORTED
In Spite Of Favorable Weather
Conditions, A Few Blazes
Start; the Forest Service
Fire Organization In New
Mexico.

while reports from the vaFiout ma
tional forest headquarters in Arizona
and New Mexico SHOW that there was
little if any danger Of forest fires at
the close Of the first two weeks In
May. due 10 the unusual snow fall
during the winter months, coupled
with heavy storms in the latter part
of April. the necessary arrangements
have been made 20 that the FIRE plans
can be put into effect Immediately
upon a change Of conditions. Fire
plans. as the name applies. deal
specifically with the protection OF the
forests from fires and comprise de-
tailed Instructions. Among other
things. they indicate the number Of
men TO be employed during the IRE
season 20 supplement the regular
yearlong force. the location OF these
men, their duties as To patrol and
action 20 be taken In the event OF
fires are discovered. To insure the
highest efficiency. every man must
know In advance Just what part he
must play when fires are detected.
He must have suitable fire hghting
equipment and know where labor for
lighting fires can oe obtained and the
quickest way to obtain Il. He will
also know the accurate location Of
tool boxes containing supplies OF
tools, food. pack outfits. etc. so that
no delay will be caused In equipping
The IRE fighting force with the neces-
sury tools. or In establishing camm
and feeding the men.
In spite OF the favorable climatic
conditions. eleven fires have been re-
ported. These occurred FOR the most
part In late March and early April ia
the period before the spring storms
set In ana were confined To the foot
hills country. OF these hres. I'VE
burned over areas above 10 acres each
white the others were confined TO less
than one acre each. Two or three Of
he larger fires burned In open
patches OF dry grass surrounded by
drifts Of snow.
Last Years Fire Record.
4 comparison ~ the records for
the 1914 IRE season throughout Ari-
IONA and New Mexico with those Of
preceding years indicates a line of
Increasing efficiency hat h very graf
Tying 90 forest service officials,
During the season of 1918. - pet
cent Of the fires were located and
o-StinEuishrd before they had burned
over AN area of more than ten acres,
The percentage % he same class Of
fires for the season Of 1914 was over
go per cent but 30 nres, or "A little
more than g per cent. covering more
than ton acres. OF the total OF $40
fires during 1914, over 70 per cent
ur 3ji were located and suppressed
before they covered an area OF more
than onc-fourth acre.
The weather conditions were per
haps more favorable during the past
season than during 1913. but a com
parison OF the records shows that "a
great number OF fires were discovered
and suppressed during their in
cipionuy.
Forest officials state that there are
"A number of factors contributing 20
this increasing efficiency. such as ;he
construction OF telephones, roads and
trails. work that Is being pushed a.
rapidly as funds permit. the constant
Improvement of forest FIRE protection
plans and the growing cooperation ac-
corded by forest users. bc'h perman-
ent and transient.
"Of an preventative factors" il Is
claimed that Zone Of the most inn
portant Is the proper care ~ camp
fires. Fires originating from lightning
must be expected, but those OF human
agency by the use Of care can oe re-
duCcd to almost nothing.
one of the most pleasing features
emphasized In IN" record of the past
season was the fact that q number Of
frga u.r. ,fthar rpt,VtsH a.. fpVaot
officers or c-Xtinguished by forest
users.
The average person. whether he