Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29
BY HUGH HAMMOND BENNETT.


The year 1929 will be remembered in
the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast
regions as one of vast and destructive
forest and brush fires. At least, these
numerous CONGREGATIONS are not likely
! to be forgotten by those who fought
them, feared them and suffered
them. The public will forget, as a mat
ter of course, because, unfortunately,
! forest fires, by reason OF their frequen-
| cy, have come to be considered a part
| of our annual program of woodland
| devastation, or so 1t seems.
Those who have undertaken to esti-
mate previous losses-the forester of the
Federal Government and of the States
inform us that In 1928 177,362 forest
! and brush fires burned over 1881 $40
| acres and caused loss Of $S2 ,9342 20.
These were not all major CONGREGATIONS.
| BY far the greater number occurred in
| the Southeastern and Gulf States, ISL
| $40 having been reported for these re-
| gions, as against IL ,05S for the Rocky
Mountain and Pacific Coast States.
Many Small Fires in South.
Many Of those in the South were
small fires Of comparatively short dura-
| ton. a considerable number having
been started purposely in order to re-
move from range areas the dead grass
of late Winter and early Spring that
cattle and sheep might have early graz
ing. Nevertheless, they destroyed mil
| lions OF young trees and seedlings, Sc
| riously damaged numerous trees :.lat
to wastage by rainwssh and wrought
incalculable destruction to nesting bi-ds.
| In the Western forests fires are more
| spectacular and often far more difficult
to control than in those Of the East and
! South, both because of the climatic
conditions and the mountainous char
acter of the terrain. A large proportion
of the Southern pine-belt fires and
| many OF those in the lake States occur
| in comparatively smooth country where
barriers such as fields, roads and
| streams are more numerous.
Underground Increases Danger.
In the Western tinbered country, on
the other hand, vegetation, particularly
| the underground, is more dense and
| vast areas becoming highly desicated
| as the result of long periods of drought,
| the fires are exceedingly difficult to
subdue. Steep mountain slopes and
! vast tracts of rough country, having
| but few roads and infrequent cleared
| areas, add enormously to the difficult
ties Of combating the Western flames.
lighted cigarette, neglected camp
fire and often lightning will set the
when conditions are right. If stiff
breezes are blowing, the blaze. spreads
rapidly, sweeping through dry leaves,
tW1gs and grass with irresistible force.
By the time fighters arrive, even with
all the speed that telephone service and
constant observation from watch tow
ers on lofty situations make possible,
the consuming flames are moving with
such angry impetus that direct combat
Is impossible
| Reaching up among thick, dead
branches Of spruce, fir and pine, flames
frequently burst out In the green canopy
| Of the forest and flashing tongues leap
across backfired areas and lanes that
have been opened to stop the confiagra-
| ton. The onward sweep Is often self
accentuated by driving, hot blasts, and
fragments of burning wood swept
ahead of the main fire frequently set
going treacherous advance blazes.
Best Defense Sometimes Fails.
Fire lanes, trenches, streams and
| railroad tracks, such as would prove
helpful In mastering ground and un-
derbrush fires. often are of no avail
with these furiously sweeping flames.
The god Of fire in angry mood storms
ing all before 1t, leaving blackened
desolation-often complete destruction
OF every living thing as well as the
homes Of ranchnen, farmers and vaca-
| tionists, bridges, rail lines and other
1 structures that stood In the pathway.
| Organized and hastily conscripted
! firef1ghters rush to the battle front, led
I by trained foresters to places Of van
tage ahead of the rapidly advancing
blaze. Lanes are cleared, trenches dug
and backflres started. Invariably the
situation calls for the quick exercise of
experienced Judgment on the part of
those in command, who, to battle effec-
lively, must know the country in detail
every inch of the ground, its topog-
raphy and the location of streams,
cleared areas, old burns and the
rougier areas that cannot be safely
| crossed. Even so, men are sometimes
cut off. Backfires get out of control or
treacherous advance fires are started by
wind-swept embers. Limbs are broken
and lives are lost.
Avalanches Often Started.
A bad timber fire is an exceedingly
stubborn and perilous thing to cope
with. The battle line must not be
drawn too near the enemy front, espe-
cially when there is wind and the
slopes are precipitous or difficult to
! traverse Even the fires that sweep
| through the bush growth of the South
west must be dealt with wisely, for
| here the frequent stony slopes become
highly unstable after burn. Rocks
are easily upset in these burns. A
single step may start dangerous ava
| lanches Of looSened stones, mcluding
these large enough to wreck anything
| in their path.
! Forest fires of the major type are
| sll-consuming. In the conflagration
| that swept large areas OF Northern
| Minnesota in 1918 houses were burned
that stood in open fields far out from
! the borders Of inflammable vegetation.
Numerous towns were destroyed; many
! lives were lost. Even those fleeing in
| automobile were caught In some in
stances. Many of those who were so
| fortunate as to reach water were forced
| to dive at intervals or to keep one an
| other wet with splashing water until
the scorching, suffocating flames
| passed on.
Explosive Outbursts Observed.
Witnesses tell of flames bursting out
like explosions Of gas, far ahead OF the
main fire, even where there was little
! vegetation. 1t was SurmiSed by those
| who locked upon this phenomenon
that inf1ammable gases, developed from
| vegetation by the intense heat Of the
main fire, were swept ahead Of the
flames, to be ignited by wind-carried
sparks.
While descending the Pacific slope
! of the Rockies during late August
! 1929, the writer saw fires and evidence
/ of fires from near the summit along
most of the distance across Western
Montana, the Panhandle of Idaho and
on into the timbered country Of East
ern Washington. Charred stumps and
blackened dead trees, shorn Of Their
branches from bottom to top, marred
the impressive scenery of the rugged
region.