The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-19

minds. q thousand men scan the blue
skies and the dusky-green woods OF
the national forests Of western Mon.
tana and northern Idaho every hour
OF the day for the wisp Of smoke that
may portend a roaring wall Of fire.
dangerous to life and property. II not
checked within a short time. During
an emergency period. such as exists in
the western part Of district No. ! Mt
present, fire protection II given first
consideration, and the routine work Of
the service Is for the time being
crowded to the rear. in order that the
forestry forces may compctently COM
pete with fire.
Weeks Of continual sunshine, With
out a drop Of rain. have transformed
the forests of western Montana into a.
| terrific fire hazard, though little
trouble has been experienced as yet.
| The plans Of the forest service provide
for special protection during the
months Of July and August. when the
risk is considered greatest.
Fire Hazard Increases.
Forest officials say that on account
\ of the extended drouth and other nat
urally unfavOrable conditions. the fire
hazard is rapidly becoming great, the
stage being set for destructive con.
flagrations. During the first 10 days
Of July, 80 fires were reported from
various sections Of the district. but
through the vigilance Of the fire.
fighters every one OF them was cx-
tinguished before it had developed
enough to cause severe damage.
! The men in the field do not do all
| the fire-fighting work. The officers
at the district headquarters keep in
close touch with the different sections
throughout the fire season by means
of the telegraph and telephone. Telc-
graphic weather reports are received
from "a points. in the district. giving
the status of the weather. tempera-
ture. rainfall and the other factors
which are considered important, dur
ing the emergency period, the district
officers being able to dispose their
forces to better advantage through
these reports.
i Three Lines Of Defense.
The actual firc-fighting forces may
he classified as the first. second and
third lines of defense. The first line
consists primarily of smoke chascrs.
but includes all of the regular pro-
lection force. The second line is
composed Of the members Of the for
est forces not members Of the regular
protective forces, such as the survey
and reconnaissance crews, forest
users. settlers and auxiliary guards
x~f 1aFa
fire fighters drawn from tho general
labor markets in periods Of emcr-
lgency.
Army Of "Smpke .chasers."
The first line Of defense includes
1850 men, who are detailed as smoke
tchasers and lookout men, as well as
he rangers. There are IS look -out
men. stationed at points OF vantage
all over the district, whose duty pri-
marily consists of detection Of fires
These men stay on duty day and
night at their stations, and in case OF
fire notify tho smoke -chasers OF
rangers by means of telephones or
wherever such connections are i'm.
possible. by Photograph signals. -Four
thousand miles of telephone wires arc
llooped through the forests Of the dis
trict. providing a network to be used
in fighting fire. There are onl,
about half score of photographs III
service at present. as this method ol
signalling is too much dependent or
climatic conditions to be satisfactory
The control work falls upon tn,
. smoke chasers. who are stationed a,
places along the trails and other i'm
portant points. from which they pa
troll the woods. watching for signs O.
fire. Some of the smoke chasers ar,
provided with motorcycles. other
, with horses. while some travel o,
foot. Each of the men carries
pack Of fire. fighting tools, consistin,
of a long handled shovel, an axe,
hoe and a pick. and other ncccssa r.
implements.
The second line Of defense include
all of the people within the nationa
forests not actually in the employ o
government as well as the differe1,
field parties. Foremcn of mills an
logging camps are authorized by tn
government to take charge of fire
fighting parties in cases Of cmcrgenc,
tho fighters being paid by the gov
lcrnmcnt.
The Last Resort.
The third line of defense is oni
n called on in case the forest servit
r men are unable to control the fire
: Last year only a comparatively sma
a number of hired fire. fighters WEI
Il called into the field In 1915. a.O'
II men were used. In 1914. 5000 ME
is were called into the field. while
,r 1910. during the immense confragrs
10 ton, which caused severe damage