The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-04-25
MONTANA AND THE
NATIONAL FOREST
10 MILLION ACRES OF LAND
WITH 80 BILLION BOARD
FEET OF TIMBER.
FIRE Consumes Twice as Much Lum-
Der as Is Cut Annually; Govern
ment Has Designated April 21-27
as Forest Protection Week.
BY ADOLPH WEHOLT

the people the vast unnecessary
Wastage of our forests by fire. Per-
sons and organizations interested
IN outdoor life, in game and wild
lie, in water resources, and in &C.
onomic and civic matters should
assist willingly in making the week
a success. April 21-27 is Forest
4 Protection Week.
L Montana has 100000 acres o.
national forest land, supporting 81
billion board feet of timber. Lumber.
Ing stands third in the industries Of
the state, being exceeded only by
mining and agriculture.
Fire continues to be the greatest
single agency of forest destruction
line acreage swept each year by fire
us about twice the area annually cut
lover by numbering operations 1t is
estimated by foresters that more tim
Der has fallen before the flames than
before the ak. More than SO per
cent of the fiji es are man-caused, and
are preVentable. Most of these fires
are caused by careless throwing away
lighted me tches and cigarettes, leav-
ing camp fires unextinguished, and
burning slash during the dry season
when clearing land, Carelessness
with fire is costing the forest service,
annually, a vast amount of money in
IRE suppression, also a heavy toll
IN loss of our timber resources.
Why should not every person feel
a keen interest in the protection and
conservation of our timber resources
when practically all industries are
dependent upon forests for their raw
material? Timber is essential in de-
veloping our mines, both coal and
mineral. Timber is needed for de-
Velop1ng and improving farms. I'M
mense areas of land are dependent OH
the watersheds for water supply for
irrigation; hundreds of cities are de-
pendent upon the mountain streams
for their water supply. Timber on
the mountain slopes control the wa
ter supply since it retains the snow
and moisture until late in the spring,
and gradually supplies the springs
and small streams with water thru
out the summer which furnish water
for irrigation. When timber is de-
stroyed by fire, leaving the ground
barren of all vegetation and forest
cover, the spring rains and water re-
sulting from melting snow rush down
the mountain sides causing floods,
and later in the season when water
is needed, the streams will be prac-
tically dry.
Every consideration must be given |
to the protection of our forests if |
Montana is going to prosper. 1t is |
up to every citizen to do their part in |
fires.
The following rules, if followed |
when visiting the forests, will elm
nate a great number of our annual |
tires:
Be sure your match is out be-
ore throwing it away. Break it in
Wo with your fingers.
Don't throw cigars, cigarettes,
ind pipe ashes along the roadside. If
'ou are riding, improvise an ash tray
n your machine. A tin can will do
t you are walking, grind your stubs,
matches and ashes in the dirt.
3 Build small camp fires away
rom brush and small trees. Scrape
way all leaf mold and other inflam-
nable material around your fire.
4 Never leave your camp fire I'M
A wind may spring up any
1oment.
5 Pour water on your camp fire
yhen your are finished with it. Be
ure it is dead-then bury it with
irt or gravel. Don't make the mis-
AXE of burying it with leaf mold or
Their inflammable material.
6 If in wooded region keep in
ouch with the State or Federal for
st ranger or firewarden. Report all
res you may see, however small. If
on see fire beginning to burn stop
nd fight it while some other mem
er of your party gets word to the
anger or firewarden.
Be as careful with fire while
ou are in the wooded areas as you
ould be in your own home. Be
loughtful and reasonable at all
mes.
Each year more and more people =
sit the forests where they spend
leir vacation at some beautiful spot,
ways selecting a place where the =
ees are green, but never in burnt
yer area. Campers and pleasure
ChOlo dl6 lnNltSu " Tie ldllOudl -
rest to spend their vacations They
e urged upon by forest service Of =
GERS to take every precaution to pre- =
mt forest fires.
When the changing of fire gong 4
lnounces a fire in city or town .
cry individual becomes excited and =
III render services to help suppress =
e fire to prevent loss. Why should =
It the same interest prevail when \
rest fire occurs and threatens to
b us of our timber supply. Forest =
'es often threaten millions of dol Il
RS worth of timber and property,
d even human life. 1t deprives =
r wild life of shelter and food as q
Ill as despoiling the public's play =
ound of recreational possibilities Il
There is no reason why all citi-
s should not respond as quickly II
len a heavy cloud of smoke is dis r
vered in the vicinity of forest, II
lich is the first warning that a
rest fire is raging. Why does the
erage individual not inquire with Il
= same concern regarding the caus- I
of destructive forest fires as he
es about the cause of fire in his II :.