The Coconino sun., 1922-05-12
SMOKERS CAUSE OF
 MANY FOREST FIRES

Twenty per cent of all the forest fires started by man in the National Forests of the west during 1921, were caused by careless tobacco smokers, according to figures com piled by the Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture. In California, Arizona and New Mexico one out of every four forest fires due to human agencies was started by burning cigarettes, cigars, matches or pipe heels carelessly thrown aside by smokers while in the woods. In other parts of the west the percentage of smokers fires ranged from 12 to Is per cent. The total number of forest fires on the western National Forests during the past season was 5,l3l, of which number l ,444 were caused by lightning, 732 by smokers, and 2,955 by other human agencies.
 A Serious Fire Hazard
 Careless smokers, foresters point out, are responsible for one of the most serious fire hazards in the coun- try, because they fail to take proper precautions with burning tobacco and matches. The preventable fire waste of all kinds from these causes aver ages more than SIS, 100000 year, ac- cording to figures published by the National Board of Fire Underwriters. The "tailor-made" cigarette is the principal offender in the woods, where glowing "snipe" thoughtlessly thrown down on the forest floor may cost the public thousands of dollars for fire fighting, to say nothing of the value of timber destroyed, the desolation of scenic beauty spots, and the harm done to water fowl and wild life.
 Disastrous results from smoking in the woods are most to be feared when the inflammable material that is near ly everywhere present becomes very dry. In the west this condition is generally chronic throughout the sum- mer. The increasing popularity of the National Forests, which were wis., ited last year by more than 5,250, 900 motorists, tourists and sportsmen, makes the prevention and control of smokers fires more and more diff cult. To lessen the fire risk, and to set a good example, the forest rang CTS and other field officers of the Forest Service have very generally pledged themselves not to smoke in the woods in regions and seasons of danger.
 Cooperation Sought
 Repeated efforts have been made by the Forest Service, the National Board of Underwriters, and other or ganizations to enlist the cooperation of tobacco manufacturers and packers in educating smokers to be careful with burning tobacco. Some of these organizations hold that since the haz- ard of fire is inseparable from the use of smoking tobacco, moral ob- ligation rests on manufacturers or packers of tobacco to enclose fire warning slips with their products. Resolutions embodying this sentiment have been passed by the National Convention of Insurance Commission CTS, the Fire Marshals' Association of North America, the International As sociation of Fire Engineers, and the Railway Fire Protection Association.
 In Canada, tobacco manufacturers are now enclosing little red fire warn ing slips in their cigarette packages. Similar slips featuring care with fire in the home and in the forest are also inserted in match boxes by one of the largest match companies and in cart lidge packages by number of the leading small arms and ammunition manufacturers of the United States.