Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-04-21
by FRANK c. w. POOLER,
District Forester.

A total of 434 forest fires oc-
Cured in the national forests OF
Arizona and New Mexico last year
and the five-year average exceeds
this figure by about hundred
BY May !, the forest service will
be putting on some of its fire look
outs; the balance of its fire per-
sonnel will have been selected
food supplies will have been pack
ed into the mountains; fire tools
will have been re-ground, re-han-
died and distributed throught
the forests; telephones will have
been overhauled and mountain tel
ephone lines repaired and detailed
plans will have been completed
showing the fire duties Of each for
est officer for the coming season
all in anticipation Of the fire
season of 1929.
Every preparation is being made
to, insure prompt reports of fires
when discovered, quick getaways
when reports are received and
fast travel to fires. Availability
OF effective fire suppression equip
ment Is being carefully arranged
and intelligent fire suppression
work will be the rule.
Information as to fires discov-
cred and assistance in putting
them out Is where the public can
help, but what is needed above all
else is cooperation in preventing
fires from starting. More than 60
per cent of the 1921 fires and con-
siderably more than half of all the
forest fires during the past five
year period have been man-caused
or preventable.
These fires have been due, in the
main, to campers and smokers,
though many may have been
caused by homesteaders through
careless burning of brush while
clearing their lands. Railroads
and numbering operations have
also been responsible for many
fires. If half of the fires in the
southwest are prevented through
the exercise of more care by forest
users, campers and smokers, it is
safe to say that the other half will
be held down to smaller proper
tions since the fire fighting organi-
zation will be able to concentrate
on them.
Annually. over $4,000 acres OF
forest lands are burned over in the
southwest resulting not only in
heavy suppression costs and dam
age to standing timber, but also
much danger to the young forest
growth which in most cases is to-
tally wiped out. This is a big item
in section of the country where
the present timber supply is bare
ly large enough to meet the local
demands of the increasing popula
ton and where the watershed val
ue Of the forest cover is of such
great importance in connection
with irrigated agricultural hold
ings.
Preventable forest fires, with
just little care on the part of
forest users and travellers can be
practically eliminated. More care
should be taken with campfires
The ground where n campfire Is
to be built should be we'll cleared
of pine needles and other debris
and before being left such a fire
should be completely put out with
water, If water is available, or i"
that is not the case, 1t should be
carefully covered with earth
Never should matches, cigar or
cigarette stubs be thrown away
until it is known they are out.
The burning of brush should not
be undertaken by homesteaders or
others during the fire season and
spark arresters should be used on
all coal and wood burning engines
crossing or stationed on forest land
BY the observance of care In these
simple ways the forest fire loss in
the southwest will be greatly de-
creased.
One of the primary purposes OF
forest protection week as pro-
claimed by President Harding, Is
to direct the attention of all Amer
lean citizens to the important part
the forests form in the economic
and Industrial life of the land and
to the need for their protection