The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-08-19
State Forester Has Issued
Timely Warning
URGES PROMPT ACTION
misunderstanding Concerning
Best Methods of Fighting
These Flames
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch

st. Paul, August 14.--With the
rainfall for the past season far be-
low normal and the usual dry au
tumn period approaching 1T is of the
most vital importance that the great
est vigilance over the peat fire areas
Of the state be exercised by settlers,
ranger, township and county officers,
If heavy losses to state and private
property are to be prevented" w. T.
Cox, state forester, said today.
All rangers and township and coun-
ty officers are being advised to keeI
a sharp lookout for smouldering peat
fires and to see that prompt action
is taken to extinguish them. Far
mers burning stubble, brush or mea-
dows and travellers discarded burn
ing cigarette stubs, threshing rigs
going from farm to farm--all these
contribute to the danger of fire
starting on these peat lands, Mr.. Cox
said. III.
The Start of Great Fires
All OF the great fires that have
swept large districts in Minnesota,
destroyed human and animal life and
causing immense property damage,
originated as innocent looking peat
fires. A large number of peat fires
in any district, if uncared for and
allowed to spread, may run together
and form a long front of fire, con-
stituting grave danger in case of
high winds.
"One man with spade in few
minutes can eXtinguish a fire that
has burned perhaps half day, while
it may take large force of men a
week to extinguish similar fire al.
lowed to burn for several days"
There is considerable misunder-
DDS Of fighting peat fires, Mr.. Cox
said. Fire fighters should never as
sumo shat fire is out when it seems
to have been extinguished, he said,
but someone should be kept at the
scene to watch for a recurrence of
the smouldering of peat.
Advice As To Menace
Mr.. Cox, in advising rangers, farm.
ers and county township officials
f1gating this menace, said: ~OrdiI-
arisy the best methods is to trench
around the burning peat area AMI
then dampen the trench and patrol
the place until the fire has burned
out inside the trench. To dig down
10 mineral SOIL may be exceeding =
expensive where the peat deposit is
deep. and it has been found that this
Is in nearly all cases unnecessary.
Forest rangers in their almost con
tinuous experience with peat fires
have found that shallow trench =
foot or so in depth, il kept wei
down, is just as effective as a trench
fiveor six feet deep and less exrar-
sive. In either cases the trench will
have to be patrolled until the fire s.;
out. 1t is at the time that the pert
fire has eaten its way to the trench,
that most careful watch must be
maintained to see that burning ma
terial does not cave in and fall across
to ignite the other-side. The fire on
the inside of a trench that has been
wet down will burn out in saucer
shape form, coming up near the edge
as it comes in contact with the moist
peat along and extending out of the
trench. Inside of a deep, undamp-
ened trench the fire burns deeply
right up to the trench itself and it
is much harder to fill te trench with
water"
The menace Of peat fires is con-
slant. but particularly during the
fall OF the year, and the keynote of
the warning as issued by Mr.. Cox, is
constant watching"