Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-06
WEATHER HELD
CAUSE Of FIRE
AND DROUGHTS
Forest Fires Spreading,
Wells and Streams Go
Dry in Many Places.
Winds and Barometric
Pressure Not Acting
According to Hoyle.

Washington, Oct 5.-(By the As
sociated Press).-The weather ele-
ments just aren't acting right. That
is the only explanation the United
States weather bureau can make for
the protracted drouth which grips a
great portion of the country. Meteor
ologically speaking, the winds and the
barometric pressures are acting con-
trary to nature. The air is sluggish
and there is little movement in high or
low strata; consequently, the moisture
bearing air cannot journey over the
country.
With the exceptions of California
and the northern Pacific coast, Florida
and the east gulf coast, there have
been few areas where any rain to
speak of has fallen for four or five
weeks. There is q "low" extending
from Washington, d. c., to south of
Knoxville, Tenn, which is hardly NOV
ing and which forms a barrier to mols-
ture- bearing winds. When that moves
away, the bureau says, there will be
some chance of a change for the wet
ter.
A Record Dry Spell
Although the present dry spell is
making somewhat of a record for ter
ritory covered and length of time,
agricuIturists and meteOrologlSts de-
clare it has been marked by an exceed
ingly small amount of crop damage.
The preceding warm weeks rapidly
matured corn and other crops, cotton
and truck stuff, and the harvest is
practically over. Some little damage
NAV result to late corn, 1t was said by
agriculture department officials, but
this probably will not be extensive.
The main trouble, from the farmer, 8
point of view, is that winter wheat is
being retarded by inability to get the
ground in condition.
While farmers have not been both
cred greatly over crop damage, great
loss has been done by forest fires in
driest sections, and grave fears have
been expressed in this country and
canada for inhabitants of forested
areas.
In northern Ontario, 5000 persons
have been rendered homeless, an un-
determined number are feared to have
perished, three towns have been wiped
out, and at least four others partially
destroyed. Tentative estimates of the
property loss amounts to millions.
With no prospect of rain, it is said the
forest fires will have to burn them
selves out.
Burning In Minnesota
In northern Minnesota, an area of
about 100 square miles is burning in
many places, more than 100 fires hav-
ing been reported. While it is thought
no lives have been lost in that state,
due to the long warning residents have
had, several towns have been reported
destroyed and others damaged by the
fires.
Because of the danger of fires, Gov
ernor Baxter of Maine has ordered the
hunting season closed.
The drying of streams and reservoirs
in many sections of the country has
been reported. Wells have failed and
farmers and small town residents have
been forced to haul water long dis
tances.
Weather bureau officials can see no
relief from drought and also from the
general attending high temperatures in
any section of the country, except
where local showers are reported.
From nine cities throughout the middle
west have come reports of tempera-
lures higher than any ever before re-
corded fo rthis time of the year. For
at least "a hours, fair and generally
warmer weather is predicted.
Cooler Weather Awaited
1t will soon grow cooler In the north
ern Rocky mountain region and in the
Northern plateau region, due to wide
spread showers there, and indications
are for cooler temperatures in the
north Atlantic states.
One reason given for the dry and
hot spell is that during September, the
month of storms on the Great Lakes,
only one storm has been reported.
Until changes appear in the Pacific off
the northwestern coast, little relief
can be expected for the northern and
western states, and until storm clouds
appear in the Gulf of Mexico, he CEN
tral and eastern states can expect a
continuation of the dry spell, the fore
casters say.