Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-20
STATES FORESTS
HIT HARD BY FIRE
Figures Compiled Show That
the Scourge of the Forest
Is Still Here

The report covering the spring and
fall forest fire seasons OF 1915, issued
to-day by the Pennsylvania Depart
ment of Forestry, shows that while al
most as many forest fires burned in
PENNSYLVANIA in 1916 as in 1915, the
areas burned over was less than half
that of 1915, and the timber loss was
only trife over one-fourth as large.
In 1915, 1,1O1 forest fires burned over
336,635 acres, with a resulting timber
loss of $S5e,7O0; in 1916, 1913 fires
burned 154,752 acres. and the timber
loss was only $236,200. Less than
three per cent. of the area in the
State forests was burned over in 1916.
The officers of the new Bureau of
Forest Protection do not claim sole
credit for this remarkable showing.
They say that it was due to a COM
bination of favorable weather condi-
tions, better fire warden service and
awakening public sentiment against
forest fires. The fact that almost the
same number of fires as burned III
1915 covered fifty per cent. less forest
land does show, however, that the re-
organization of the fire warden system
was the largest single factor in cutting
down the loss.
As usual, railroads and campers
head the list of causes, with 270 and
1S2 fires respectively to their dis
credit. Brush burning on dry days
caused fifty-five fires; ninety-flve were
of incendiary origin; careIessly con-
raI 1r,Y ~
forty-four; ten were caused by light
ming, and forty-five were caused by
miscellaneous agencies, such as chill
dren playing with matches. The
causes of 312 fires are unknown.
As a further commentary on the
efficiency of the fire warden system, it
is noted that 103 fires burned less than
one acre each. and 765 were extin-
gUished before they covered hundred
acres. over half of the damage was
done by twenty-eight fires of over l.
600 acres each, which burned a total
of 10000 acres in sixteen counties
The largest of these fires occurred il,
Blair, Cameron, Cleariield, Hunting
don, Luzerne and Potter counties.
Blair. LuZerne and Potter are tied for
the doubtful honor of being first on
this list, each having had fire of over
10, 900 acres.
No fires were reported from Allie
gheny, Beaver. Delaware. Erie, Greene.
Lawrence, MontouT, Philadelphia or
Washington counties. but small fires
burned even in such agricultural couii-
ties as Bucks. Chester and Montgom-
cry. Blair county suffered most Sc
verely, with 900 acres burned. Al
most 16 600 acres went UP in smoke
in Luzerne county. and 400 acres
were burned in Potter county. The
heaviest money loss occurred in Clin-
ton county. where 500 acres, valued
at almost S25, 900, were burned over.
AS indicating how variable weather
conditions affect the forest fire seasons
it is interesting to note that fires oc-
CURED in every month of 1916 except
February. Almost fifty per cent. of the
fires burned between August l and De-
cember Is, which is very unusual. In
1915 nearly ninety per cent. of the
fires occurred before June 1. Prac-
tically half of the fall fires in 1916
occurred during one very dry week in
the early part Of December.
Further changes are being made
from time to time in the list of fire
wardens. The State will be thoroughly
covered township by township, and
wardens will be appointed wherever
there is enough forest area to justify
appointment. The greater part of the
State has been covered in this way al
ready. and over 1900 wardens are
now on the roster, in addition to the
force of foresters and rangers.