Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1916-10-18
WISCONSIN SAFE FROM
Menace OFFOREST FIRE
STRICT VIGIL OF STATE CONSERV-
ALTON COMMISSION AND FED
ERAL PATROL EFFECTIVE.

1t is six years since Wisconsin has
suffered a disastrous forest fire. Six
years since human life and suffering
have resulted from this particular
careIessness. This is due to the coop
GRAFTON of lumber companies and the
state conservation commission in
warning against fire and to the coop
GRAFTON of the public in general es
pecially campers and hunters, in eX-
tinguishing lighted matches and smol
dering camp fires before leaving.
only the man who has lived in the
NOrthland can fully realize the hOr-
rOrs of forest fire, and every woods
man appreciates the effort the state
is making to educate careless hunters
and campers in the safety first idea,"
says j. E. Ross, of the Brooks-Ross
Lumber Co. Recently the conserva
ton commission mailed letters to all
town chairmen calling attention to
the fact that under the law town chair
men are the official fire wardens Of
the district The letter further con-
tains instructions in case of fire in
their district The commission also
posted thousands of warning signs
throughout the northland with instruc-
lions to the public"
Federal Government Helps.
The present plan has been develop
ed by the state conservation commits
sion in cooperation with the federal
government, and over a million and
half acres of our north land is being
patroled by fire rangers at a cost of
of only 1.3 cents per acre to the state.
The protected area is subdivided into
seventeen ranger or patrol districts,
averaging about $4,000 acres each.
F. B. Moody, forestry member of the
commission, has direct charge. AS
sisting him are the head rangers and
many assistant rangers, paid by state
and federal government.
High Steel Towers Used.
To facilitate the work of the rangers
four steel lookout towers and four aux
Hilary towers have been erected on
high points and during dry periods a
deputy is constantly on the watch
from these towers. When smoke is
detected the district ranger is notified.
If the wind happens to be high the fire
may spread to a considerable area be-
fore the ranger reaches it. In that
case telephone wires are kept busy
and the many deputies and fire watch
es notified to send help.
In fighting forest fire little, if any,
SC ,1cod Oftno noopoct oil
or stream is miles away The effect
i've means is stamping out the fire to
hold it back until a furrow can be
plowed around it with an ordinary
pIow Estimating a safe distance, the
ranger plows around, turning under
the long, dry grass and prevents the
fire from running. In this way, often
with but one furrow, many a DISASTROUS
fire has been prevented.
Investigate Fires Origin.
1t is the duty of the ranger to in
vestigate the origin of every fire and
to apprehend the one responsible. The
many arrests in the past have served
to make the public careful in extin
gushing or reporting fires.
The locating of forest fires by the
use Of a dydroaeroplane has been ex-
perimented with in Wisconsin and
found Of great value. 1t is probable
the planes will come into general use
within a few years, so vast areas can
readily be patroIed daily.
In the Office of the conservation
commission is a faring red placard
reading, lone tree will make 1,OOO,-
900 matches. One match will destroy
100000 trees" This is intended es-
peciaIly for hunters who will soon fill