The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-04-20
ENORMOUS LOSS BY FIRE
HELP PROTECT FORESTS
SOME STARTLING FIGURES
RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN
THE WOODS.

Forest fires in the United States an
nually destroy material enough to
build a five-room frame house every
one hundred feet on both sides of
road extending from New York to Chi
cago with four people to house,
these 100000 or more buildings would
provide a home for nearly fourth
our yearly increase in population
number sufficient to populate a city
each year the size of Cincinnati, New
Orleans. Minneapolis, Kansas City or
Seattle More than 100000 forest fires
have occurred in the United States
during the past five years. so per cent
of which were due to human agencies
and. therefore, preventable. These
fires burned over 56.4SS,O0O acres-an
area greater than that included within
the states of Idaho and Washington
and destroyed $50, 700. 900 worth of tim
Der and property. If this needless
waste We're stopped and the material
thus saved put into houses. the various
business interests concerned in build
ing and construction. such as lumber
dealers, carpenters, masOns and supply
houses, would benerit to the extent of
more than $fOO,OOOOOO annually. Bank
ers and real estate dealers would also
profit through the sale of lands and by
loans on homes to the extent of an add
ditional $3OO,OOO,OOO. Forest fires are
therefore. of vital concern, not only to
everyday citizens, but to every bust
ness man and laborer.
Forest protection goes hand in hand
with national prosperity. Next to food
and clothing wood is the most inds-
pensable product of nature. Without
wood there can be no agriculture no
manufacture. no commerce. Forest
fires destroy life and property, impov-
erish the soil, drive away animal life,
cause floods and drouth and make
waste the play grounds of the people.
OF Especial Interest to Idaho.
More than two -fifths of this state or
approximately 23,0O0,00O acres are for
ested. The potential value of these
forests is emphasized when it is con-
sideied that they are about equal in
area to all the forests in France, which
adequately supplied the stupendous
demands of the allied armies during
the World war
The lumber industry is second only
to agriculture as a source of prosperity
to the state. 1t employs 60 per cent of
the total industrial population of the
state. The lumber industry in this
state represents an invested capital of
S5O,OOO.OOO and pays $3.50 in taxes
each year. The lumber produced in
this state in 1920 was approximately
/, 600, 900, 600 board feet and in addition
to this the forests are supplying large
quantities of other material, such as
poles, posts, pulp and fuel wood. The
value Of the product each year is more
than s3O,OOO,OOO. For each thousand
feet of lumber produced approximately
$500 is paid to the people of the state
in wages and salaries and $500 more
for supplies, or a total of s22, 200, 900
per year
During the year 1920 the timber pro-
tective associations of this state spent
approximately $685. 900 in the proven
ton and suppression of forest fires.
The timber owners and the forest
service are spending from one to eight
cents per acre per year for the protec-
ton of forest lands. About three
fourths of all the forest fires in this
state are man caused and, therefore,
Among the important
causes are: Unextinguished camp
fires, cigarettes and matches, and care
ess brush burning
Six Rules for Preventing Fires.
1. Matches. BE sure your match is
,ut. Pinch it before throwing away.
2. Tobacco. Throw pipe ashes, cigar
,r cigarette stumps in the dust of the
rail and stamp or pinch out the fire
before leaving them. Don't throw
hem into the brush, leaves or needles.
g. Making camp. Build only a small
amp fire. Build it in the open. not
against a tree or log or near brush.
Scrape away the trash from all around
t.
4. Leaving camp. Never leave a
amp fire, even for a short time with
nut quenching it with water and then
covering it with earth.
5. BOnfires. Never build bonfires in
windy weather. Don't make them
anger than necessary.
6. Fighting fires. IF you discover a
ire, try to put it out; if you can't get
word to the nearest forest ranger or
tate fire warden at once.