Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-08-28
Promises Good Year
InFOreSt FireCOntrOl

y
year is promising as compared with
last. was the comment of Regional For
ester Evan W. Kelley in announcing +
the summary of the To-day fire re-
ports of the forest supervisors through
out the northern region. The cost of
is also expected to fall to
a small fraction of last years fire
fighting bill, Major Kelley believes.
Although the number of fires occur
ring on the national forests of the re-
eion up to July 81 was greater this
year than for the same period last year, |
decline in the number from d42 to 272
is shown for the Today period ending
August 10 This brings the total num-
Der of fires to date down to 986 as
against 1127 last year. For the same
period the area burned stands at 7747
acres as against 36,287 acres last year,
or less than % per cent, while the
average area per fire to date this year
is less than one fourth of last year for
the same period.
ut is, of course, too early to pre-
dict hike favorable showing for the
season as whole Major Kelley states,
"but the prospect for an excellent fire
record is now bright.
1T is especially significant that the
number of man caused fires, due to the
excellent showing of the past 10 days,
has dropped we'll below the record Of
last year, from 312 to 253, indicating
degree of care with fire and regard of
! individual responsibility on the part Of
the public that is most gratifying to all
protection agencies OF the region,
Major Kelley states.
A rigid patrol is established where
ever man. caused risk is known to exist
The public is again urged to assist in
every way possible to hold in check
the man-caused danger. the regional
forester states.
Smokers ranked high as fire-setters
during the period, and for the season
as a whole stand at the head of the
list with IS fires marked up to theif
discredit This, however, is less than
the 1O8 for the same period last year
but still wide margin remains to be
eliminated before the negligent smok-
er can be absolved from the charge 0!
wanton carelessness.
Campers caused 8 fires during the
same period as against Is for the pre-
ceding 10 days. making the total O
campers fires to date As as compared
with 54 last year. The camper fire i
entirely inexcusable, added Major KEEL
ley
Another encouraging fact appears II
the percentage of fires that has beer
put out by the protection forces be.
fore any material damage was done
Out of 986 fires starting, IT'S, or rs pc
cent, were put out before they reached
quarter of an acre in size, and liO
or II per cent, were held between
quarter Of an acre and 10 acres, leav
ing only 40, or per cent, that ex
ceeded 10 acres. Much the larger par
Of the area burned this year was tn
result Of two fires - by lightnin
in the innammable litter of old burn
}, in the Selway and Cabinet forest:
: where they spread rapidly.
= The forest service has never bee
SO well equipped and SO thorough
alive to the task Of preventing an
: suopressing fires Commenting turtle
upon the success Of fire-suppresslo
work to date, the regional foreste
mentioned the greater speed made
fire. trench construction by pillow
drawn by horses over hand methoc
as one item of Importance in II
prompt control of fires Every ma
tional forest is equipped with numbe
of plows and we'll broken, powerful
sturdy draft horses. One pillow un
: has capacity for fire-trench cor
struction equivalent to about 20 (
q men.
Weather conditions are still ur
: favorable in many quarters Majt
Kelley warns, land in spite of II
: excellent showing made by the prt
lection forces there is need for evel
one to use the utmost care until gener
rains come to relieve the danger. Witt
- out the help of those who trav
- through or camp in the forests, bo
:, in preventing fires and in putting o
:. fires which come to their notice, Il
- excellent record which seems now a
- most within our reach may be spoile
:, and much damage to the economic al
scenic resources of the region may
80 wrought. Care with fire so long as I
M forests remain dry should be t
&c watchword of every citizen"
- MARION MOT SO DUMB"