Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-25
NINETY-NINE PER CENT OF FOREST
FIRES CAN Be Prevented; DUE. To
CARELESSNESS BY The PUBLIC
More Than 100000 Acres Burned Over In
the United States Every Year and Name
Suffers with the Rest of the Nation
This Needless Loss
By Harry c. Weber

By Harry c. Weber
Through the providing Of frequent rains and early SHOWS
Dame Nature has been kind to Maine this Fall IN one SENSE
It will be recalled by many that at the opening OF the
hunting one year ago the WOODS were airy a %
from forest fires filled the air. 1t was oelleVed hat II ngt
be for the then Governor Baxter order the o
estS closed to gunners untl ram cae' Dis do W NC ooo
year or so previously
This wear the danger great but this has been
an unusual year weather conditions in ways than one
Seldom does season pass that great forest fires do not occur
lin Maine destroying timber worth thousands OF dollars
sometimes burning homes and has at times Jeopadlzed the
lives of those living vicinity These in themselves
bad enough but when considers that these fires mean
not only destruction of the EFT trees but tine
will be years before that land worth anything to even It's
owners again.
The big lumber and pulp companies nowadays show good
Judgment their cutting The smaller trees left to
open places given refoestaon that in comparatively
few years they will be ready to furnish more logs While
the land not burned the hardwood grohs spring
quickly But if the land is burned tree little and
big is destroyed reseedng almost impossible and full
century is likely to roll around before that land OF value
again.
According to the figures of those have made study
of this thing forest fires sweep 100000 of land
in the United States every year. All sections where forests
exist have tried to solve this problem Maine included Massa
chusetts has made good showing in the work yet its For
estry Association states that than 5000 forest fires
have occurred in that state this and that $4,000
have suffered AS SO cent OF these fires due to
human careessness in form another it be readily
that when people stop being careless in starting fires in
kinds methods used for locating and suppessng forest
fires The patrol system which naucuated by the Great
similar service by the State of Maine has done much to
Maine forests But it is vastly important to
prevent The starting of them than it the suppressng of
the fires
Maine is of the leading Fairgrounds of the nation In
fact the leading playground in the Summer time
Because of its climate its good roads, its seacoast and lakes
and last but by least its trees Maine attracting
thousands of people during the vacation period
Supplying the needs of these visitors already of the
prOhtaDle industries
they leave in Maine flows into all channels and eventually
everyone state benefits Take away the trees and Maine
would soon find It's number OF Summer visitors dWndng
to almost nothing.
Everyone loves the trees he trees were Gods first tenn
PIES and does not from necessity have forest
to enjoy its beauties It's presence in the landscape may
the chief factor in bringing about the sale of piece of prop
ery at good figure Real estate values be greatly
HANGED through the improvements of the forests and the
prevention of forest fires.
not worth $40 to town for tax assessment purposes
acres if covered with trees would be almost priceless
Ii Maine is to develop it's hardwood industry and there is
everything to indicate that before many years will be
furniture and other plants sprngng up in the to use the
Of hardwood which is growing here that hardwood
growth and as well as the pine hemock and spruce must
receive protection from the fearful menace of forest fires
Because OF this danger of fire in adjoining forests, the
farmer who might give heed to reforesation of of his
cutover land refuses to make any in that direction
and as result Maine losing the growth of many thousands
OF dollars worth OF new timber every year. If this danger
was eliminated the of the lots could be induced
to reores much Of his land for it will pay him well to plant
this woodland anew He need not wait until the crop grown
to cash in for his labor and because the young forest
has real value in itself though not large enough for
cutting whereas the cutover land has practically none
1t only by education that the number forest fires will
be greatly reduced AS almost all of are caused by
human caessness only when We as humans oive heed
to this matter and become careful in the woods
that we Will remove this costly Maine forests
Hunters auto tourists and everyone who travels in
the toasts share In this responsibility partly burned cigar
or cigarette the ashes from pipe the embers from camp
ire, all OF these dangers.
DRIVING through the forest roads in automobile driver
or one OF the occupants of the caressy losses cigar
SUD INTO tne highway by the roadside breeze blows to
the grass and leaves beside the road the little rebrand soon
ndes the grass and leaves and before ten minutes have
rolled by after the passing of the dangerous forest fire
is underway It patrol nearby may be discovered and
promptly quenched But if it gets little more start among
the dry leaves and sprs it is likely over MANY acres
oesoy much valuable timber and leave behind only barren
waste winch Tor many years to will as onument
TO human carelessness There many of such mon
mens Name Let us keep trees and have fewer of
nese monuments to hsides rob us of those
beauties which Nature has placed there for us to admire to
grandest gifts. ~ WV - wa
Bible appear in the modest o,rn