The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-08-31
Considering Wide Area
Threatened, Destruction
Has Been Small.
100000 ACRES HAVE
BEEN BURNED OVER
Much Improvement in Dis
tricts in Which COnfla-
grations Have Ragged.

Despite the large number of fires in
western Montana this summer the
amount of territory burned over to
date was roughly estimated at 100000
acres and a timber loss of $l50.0oO. ac-
cordins to approximate figures given
out last night By District Forest Su-
pervisor r. II. Rutlcdgc. Although no
definite figures have been received yet,
the forest service officials declared
that they did not expect the loss to
SO much over this amount unless new
fires start.
OF the total area burned over it Is
estimated that the amount Of timbered
land will not exceed $4,000 acres and
the possible timber loss on this is
figured at 150.OuO.0OO feet with a yalu-
alton to the government of about $780,
900. The total financial loss to the
government to date including the cost
of labor is estimated at 100000.
Loss Not Large.
Supervisor Rutlcdgc said last night
that the loss would probably be
smaller this year than was expected
because OF the fact that most OF. the
that was either burned over only few
Years ago or in districts where there
was little heavy timber.
The figures given out by Supervisor
Rutledge cover only District No. /.
which comprises approximately &c.
100000 acres of land. No definite fig
urcs regarding the loss in this years
fires will be available until the fires
have been cXtinguished and u survey
of the burned districts made.
Saved Good Timber.
Tn general we feel that we have
been very fortunate that we have not
lost more valuable timber" said Su-
perrisor Rutlcdgc. last night. "The
fires have been burning in sparsely
timbered districts and the able work
Of the fire fighters has prevented the
flames from spreading into the good
timber.
"The Lolo fire has been the worst
and has burned over a larger area
than any of the rest. However this
fire has been kept out of some of the
best stands of timber in the Lolo forest
by the fire fiyhtcrs.'
lHlDuCilout tls cHliIt JHt
forest fire situation was more quict
yesterday than it has been for the pas,
two weeks. Reports received las
night by the local office from tn,
rangers in charge of the fighting
| crews stated that the fires were bcinf
placed under control.
lolo Fire Quiet
| The Lolo fire gave little or no trou
bic yesterday. The patrols were KEEP
| busy during the day seeing that th'
| fire made no attempt to break across
| the lines that have been established
near the springs and the report from
| headquarters in that district statct
last night nc blaze was gradual,
dying down.
| With the additional crews sent int,
the Flathcad district late Wcdnesda
| the fire that threatened tho hcav
| timbcrcd district on the lower Sout,
Fork was placed under control Tn
fire was approaching the valuabl
stand of timber from two sides am
the men fought hard to keep the blaz
from getting into the big stand 9
timber
The Scclcy lake fire was bcin
rounded with patrol lines yesterda
land reports indicated that the blaz
would be under control unless q hcav
wind should come up in that distric
Other fires were reported to b
giving no trouble last night and the
IprOErcsS.