The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-08-21
Gale Swept. Adair, Idaho,
Blaze Beyond Lines Last
Sunday.
PRESTON SAYS WIND
IS GREATEST MENACE
Flames May Cross Divide
Into Montana Should
Breeze Arise.

IIe"IlSuIfTS IHiu VI run LOT Wutu
high wind swept the fire two miles
above Adair across the patrol line was
brought by Assistant District Forester
J. +. Preston on his return last night
from the scene Of the st. Joe fires.
The crew had the .Adair fire just about
under control and the trench around
it almost established when the high
wind of Saturday carried it with great
speed across the lines.
Yesterday morning, however, n new
line had been established and Mr..
Preston said that the control of this
fire was now only a question Of the
winds behavior. The Adair fire is
headed directly for Big creek in Mon
tana and a force Of so men has been
sent from Adair to the vicinity of Lolo
to put up a defense against it's ap-
Droach, making 100 men in all patrol
ling there in expectation of the fires
advance.
All Depends on Wind.
I'VE can stop the spread of this fire
If the wind remains quiet, but just now
everything depends upon the action of
the wind" said Mr.. Preston.
He gave an encouraging report re-
Sarding the Falcon fire, also in the
Joe ulStIlCt, SdylHS tHdL IL was
practically under control and giving
little additional trouble. The patrol
has been established and the situation
there is generally well in hand.
Shortage Of Autosnobilss.
A serious shortage Of automobiles to
transport the fire fighters to the va
rious scenes of action is the problem
which now confronts the forestry Of
ficials, according to District Forester
r. II. Rutledge. Men who have VOL
nntccrcd their services against the
fires have been forced to remain in
idleness for hours because there was
no way to get them to the fires. a
great deal depends upon car owners
being generous and patriotic enough
to sec that the men who are willing
to battle with the flames, get within
fighting distance of the enemy
Men Mohililsd Here.
Men are being mobili2ed from all
parts of the state where the situation
is less threatening to be on hand in
this vicinity and ready to go to the
first fire where they are needed. Y.
S. Schwartz, a lumberman from Spo-
kane. came here leaving Immediately
for the Deer creek fire. Deputy For
est Supervisor w. ]. Derrick was
called from Billings to take charge of
the Sceley lake, fire. A. II. Abbott
deputy forest supervisor Of Rozeman
has been detailed to the I.olo fire
Deputy Forest Supervisor Burr W.
Clark and Ranger Schowc of Sheridan
are at the local office ready to go to
the first fire from which call comes
Fires Near Seslsy Lake.
Some distance above seeley lake two
or three fires have been started, the
result of lightning. A crew of AZ men
was taken to this fire yesterday after
noon.
The report Of another fire north of
Lolo in the vicinity of the one re-
ported Sunday came to the local Of
flee yesterday. Forty men left for
there right after the report came and
so more are to be sent out today II it
is possible to obtain transportation ia :
cilities. Local officials have been
forced to send to Butte for men to put
out on these fires rs the number of
available men in this vicinity is rapid
ly being used up.
Many Calls for Men.
Calls came in yesterday from Fish
lake and Chamberlain Meadows for IL
men each to fight fires there. Simila,
calls from Thompson Falls for 80 men,
from Tuscor for six and from Trout
creek for 10 were received. 1t will be
possible for the local office to furnish
the 10 needed at Trout creek but the
80 for Thompson Falls and Tuscor will
have to come from Spokane.
Thunder Storms start Fires.
Thunder storms are blamed fol
practically all the recent fires thai
have broken out. The trouble which
they started two or three days ago i!
just beginning to show up now. Dis
trict Forester Rutledge stated las
night that the situation Is very erica
with little or no hope of immediat t
improvement. However. local Officials
are still clinging to the hope that witt
every available resource in the fiel,
and every effort being put forth. III
situation will not. get the better o
them.