The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-10-23
U. S. FOREST FIRES
CAUSE HEAVY LOSS
$4,000 Blazes Burn 29,OOO,-
600 Acres In Year.

WashingtOn-Nearly $1,000 forest
1res swept 100000 acres Of public
and private lands during the calendar
year 1924, according to a report lust
compiled by the forest service, Unit
ed States Department OF Agriculture.
The actual money damage was $685.
100000, exclusive Of damage to young
growth, watershed protection, wild
life and recreatiOnal facilities.
The figures, say forestry officials,
clearly reflect the bad forest fire con-
ditiOns which prevailed last year, es-
p~ecially in many southern states and
IN California. Compared with the
calendar year 1923, the 1924 figures
represent an increase Of $4,000 fires,
and compared with the n~ine-year aver
age an increase Of $4,000 fires, or
nearly 100 per cent. In acreage swept
by flames, the 1924 figures are only
slightly larger than those for 1923,
but are almost double the acreage fig
ures representing the nine-year aver
age.
Money damage in 1924, estimated at
$3S,OOO,OOO, is $1O,OOO,OOO above the
1923 estimate, and ~S1S,OOO,OOO higher
than the nine-year average Of $780,
100000. Damage to young growth,
watershed protection, wild life, and
r%ecreatiOnal facilities, and losses to
the lumber industry, including wage
and other economic values, are not
included.
Wa0 a BAD Year.
William B. Greeley, chief Of the for
est service, states that the material
increase in the number Of forest fires
reported during 1924 is partly the re-
suit OF more complete reports, ale
though 1924 was a very bad year In
many sections Of the country.
Excessively dry weather was eE-
penenced in California and in the
Gulf states" said Chief Forester Gree
ley, "and In these states the 1924
FIRE figures show great increase over
the nine-year average. Smaller In
creases are also shown in most other
states.'
An analysis Of the 1924 statistics
shows that incendiary fires top the
list with $1,000, Or about % per cent
Of the total. Brush burning comes
next with 10000 fires, or 10 per cent,
and fires caused by smokers is third
with 1900, or about IA per cent.
Other chief causes Of forest fires IN
1924 were railroads, camp fires, lum-
bering and lightning. Lightning Is
considered the only natural cause Of
forest fires. Only six per cent Of the
1924 fires were started by lightning
Public Opinion a Needed Weapon.
1.-THE greatest single agency with
which to combat forest ires," said
Colonel Greeley, "is public opinion. No
thoughtful citizen can read the 1924
figures without coming to the cOnGu,
sion that the fight against forest frel
is his personal fight. The fedora
and state governments are dOinI
their utmost with the funds ant
equipment allotted to them. It is higl
time that a more effective weapon Il
b placed at their disposal, and thai
weapon is an outraged public opinion.
The figures given in the forest serv
ice report apply to all public and prl
vate lands in the United States ant
not merely to the national forest areai
under the Jurisdiction of the Unite
States Department of Agriculture. o.
these latter areas, which embrace 157
100000 acres. the number Of fOres
fires during 1924 totaled S,247, tn
area swept by flames was 6O2,OO
acres and the money damage was es
timated at 81 ,5OO,OOO.