Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-12-21
GIVES REASON
FOR INCREASED
FIRE HAZARDS
Cox Describes Conditions in
His Annual Report For
Minnesota.

st, Paul, Mimi, Dec. 21.-Extenave
drainage without control. and the in
creased number Of tourists, hunters
and nshermen and the drying out Of
soil In legged over and burned yer
territories in the northern sections Of
Minnesota are the main contributing
lhcturs in Increasing the fire hazards
in the timbered sections of Mime
soka's north woods, according to the
annual report Of W. T. Cox, state
forester.
The increased settlement of these
sections Is Also added to the fire
hazards, the report says. The report
further explains that b cutting OF
timber on the watersheds no doubt
lowers the water level on extensive
peat BEDS and prevents the natural
control of the water supply. AS a
result Of these conditions, the report
states, many fires were started in the
peat, a number Of them originating
along ditch roads grades and spread
ing through the dry grass to the bogs.
during the past year.
The season just closed has been one
Of the driest and most dangerous fire
seasons in the history of the forest
service. Mr.. Cox reported. The first
fire Of the 1921 season, according to
the report, was April 3, and from that
time until November I there were a
total of 706 fires in the state.
TN the Moose Lake-Mille Laos ter
ritory,r the report continues, where
many of the most dangerous fires oc-
CURED. almost every small stream is
dry. Mile Laos is the lowest settlers
have ever seer it, and many of the
wells in the district. some OF which
have been in use for the past 80 years,
have gone dry this fall. and some OF
the eettlers will be compelled TO seek
- --A>. -,~o1S4~ f1~ ~ mir Gtnrk
this winter.
Grass Fires Reported.
Grass fires were reported as a
rs November Is. Under normal con-
uitions the early growth Of vegetation
in the woods causes the spring fire
season to be Of short, duration. This
spring. however, the unusually cold
weather. together with light rainfall.
retarded this growth and prolonged
the
"Rainfall in the nort,,He stern por-
ton of the state during the spring and
early ummer was practica lily norma.
except for June, when the whole state
was dry and continued to remain so
until the middle of September.
One Of the factors in holding down
the numerous fires in the constant
%patroning of the timbered areas by
trained forest rangers n patrolmen,
WIN J III WV
FIRE fighting, the forester reports.
Expafence Of the past year., he said.
has proven without question n a
patrol, If intensive, would practically
eliminate the danger of large fires.
Until such time as funds are avail
able through state appropriations or
raised through some system of tax
alton. to provide a large enough force
Of experienced patrolmen from early
in spring to the end of the fire season,
the state forestry department will be
unable to cope with the situation in a
satisfactory manner. The a%ppropria-
tons, although considerably in
creased for fire protection work. are
as vet not sufficient to maintain patrol
and supervise auxiliary forces over
the 20, ooO,ooo acres now being given
protection by the forest service. MI.
Cox added.
The public" the report concludes.
lis beginning to realize that It is good
insurance to provide funds sufficient
for the proper patrol Of Minnesota
forests"