The Washington herald., 1921-10-09

Service
aCOME one has described the approach OF
pa crown forest Ere as being like ons
rattle OF ten thousand freight trains over a.
many hixh trestles," Colonel William Buck
hout Greeley, chief Of the Government Forest
Service, was saying. This sort Of hre Is
possibly only in coniferous forests. 1t runs
like mad through the tops OF the trees, con-
suuning all before it. Great forests Of inesti-
mable value are spOnged out as might be the
writing on q slate. The thousands OF living
creatures Of the forest are likely to have
their lives snufed out-are sure to have
lnless some mysterious instinct OF self
preservation comes to their aid. Settlers
may meet death In the flames or sufocation
from the smoke engendered. There have been
fires In which our own fighters have sue
cumbed BY the score. They must needs be
wise In means Of keeping alive, must have
fortitude, and must keep their heads when
the emergency arises.
There was the case Of Jim Girard and
his crew, for instance, up in the Clearwater
country Of Northern Idaho a couple of years
ago. Conditions were favorable for fires.
The forests were dry. 1t was the season
for .hunder storms and where lightning
struck it was likely to start the woods
burning.
1T is hard to appreciate the extent Of
the danger when a storm with much light
ming passes over a region that is In just the
right condition to be easily ignited. !, re-
member a single storm along the Idaho
nh ats I'D
an area not more than twenty five miles
square. While l was ont in those forests
smother storm of which knew personally
started sixty i've fires in four hours. 1t 10
easy to appreciate the emergency which faces
cur hre- fighters with all these conHagrations
seing at once.
'It was upon such an occasion as this
that Girsrd and his crew we're trapped Big
6res developed on three sides of them to
such an extent that it appeared that they
were surrounded. As It afterward deyel-
oped 1t would have been possible for them
to escape by . hard climb, but under such
conditions, with the woods full Of smoke, 1t
Is hard to get at the facts
What Jim Girard did, veteran lumber
lack that he was, wise from q life spent in
ordered his men, each with his thickest
blanket, to get into the water. However
denss the smoke becomes the breathing al
ways seems better very near the surface
Of the water. Then, of course, there was
protection against actual burning. WheI
in the water the blankets were very thor
oughly wet This made them nearly air
tight. Such blanket, with its edges sub
merged, might be raised from the water
in the middle and thus wouli make q sort
Of tent with pretty good air inside. Ths
whole outfit thus submerged itself. The fury
Of the FIRE passed over it, fury 30 sres,
that huge branches Of trees would be hurled
BY the gale that It created half mile ahead,
there to start new fires.
For hours these men remained under
their blankets, waiting fer the smoke to
clear. Finally Jim Girard raised the corner
Of his improvisied sir-tight tent and locked
cut, There, not ten feet away, was hug.
black bear, likewise hugging the surface eI
the water and likewise saving itself from
grim death. 1t was not interested in com
bat, however. and did net Offer sshs."
HHo THESE hres kill the animal LIE d
- the forests?" I asked.
This same man, Girard, told me an In.
teresting story of the conduct Of the crea'
lures Of the wild in time Of emergency. Pos
sibly it was at the time of this SANE Gre
The flames wer. coming up the canyoa lik
r.aG and dense columns Of smoke were like
~ise rcming dewn the canyon. 1t seene'
rIst the two fires must meet somewher
near Girsrd. He noticed that innunerabl
creatures Of the Wild were scurryiag dovl
The stream. His Judgment would have beel