The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-04-18
GUARD AGAINST
FOREST FIRES
VALIANT EFFORTS BEING MADE
BY FEDERAL FOREST OFFICERS
TO GUARD AGAINST REPITI-
TON OF THE FOREST FIRES
WHICH RACED IN THE SUPER
TOR NATIONAL FOREST LAST
SUMMER

Supervisor Hamel of the Superior
National Forest and a fire fighting
crew were out week ago and fought
a fire on the north shore which des-
troyed about acres of growing timber
before being subdued. The fire was
the result of brush burning by set
tier.
Every effort to prevent a reoccur-
renee of the disastrous fires that ragged
for more than month last summer
in the Superior National Forest is
being made by federal foresters, with
state and private lumber company
rangers also proceeding with prepar-
fires in the wooded sections of north
ern Minnesota.
With a heavy thaw in February
and comparatively mild weather the
past few weeks, most of the snow is
gone, except in the heavy timbered
sections of the Superior forest, fed
eral forestry officials have reported.
While May and June are considered
the fire month" the most disastrous
fires last year occurred in July and
August, with more than $4,000 acres
of timber and cut-over lands in the
forest destroyed. There also were
numerous scattered fires in other Sec
tons of the northern part of the
state. The fires last summer were
the worst in the history of the Super
ior National Forest, with the damage
running into thousands of dollars.
At one time a crew of 500 men was
pressed into service to battle the
flames.
More than a normal rainfall is
needed this spring to prevent an out
break of fires in the forest, according
to j. M. Valley, assistant federal dis
trict forester at Duluth. Due to the
long drought last year, most of the
Swamps in the forest are dry, while
the lakes are at low levels, making
fire conditions dangerous should there
not be a heavy rainfall during the
next month or six weeks, he pointed
out.
A. c. Hamel, supervisor of the for
est, has been making trip through
the forest and is sending patrolmen
to the 10 lookout towers, operated dur
ing the spring, summer and fall
months by the federal government.
The state and private lumber COM
panies also will have men on duty at
the towers within short time.
Five of the towers located in the
forest are in Cook county, one each
at Grand Marais, Pine Mountain, Cas-
cade, Onion Mountain and Kelso look
out. It was in the territory where
these lookoutS are stationed that the
majority of the fires last summer &C.
Cured. 1t was pointed out that the
northern part of the forest becomes
driest the latest in the spring and
forestry men anticipate no early fires
in that district.
There are three towers located in
the forest within the boundary of st.
Louis county. at Ely, Angleworm and
Sioux lookouts, while two are located
in Lake county, one each at Jack Pine
and Fernberg.
In addition to the patrolmen at the
lookout towers, there are six federal
rangers supervising forestry work at
the Superior forest. The rangers,
under the direction of Supervisor
Hamel, now are making an inspection
of the nearly 800 miles of telephone
lines in the forest and of fire fighting
equipment.
The federal government this year
has made arrangements for putting
into operation two hydroplanes to
fight fires, it has been announced
Last summer the hydroplane played
a dominating and most effective part
in the fighting of fires and the work
done by forestry officials with the aid
of planes was convincing evidence
that they would hereafter be called
into service Immediately on the out
break. of the blazes.
While the rangers in the towers
rising 80 feet above the thickly wooded
area, can spot" fires for considerable
distances, the dense smoke clouds
make it impossible for them to find
the exact location of new fire. It is
in this way that the aerop1ane can
prove of inestimable value, federal
foresters explained.
The planes will also play part In
conveying messages, as was done last
summer when telephone lines in some
of the towers became disrupted.
While the fires last year destroyed
more than $4,000 acres of land, only
a small portion was owned by the fed
eral government. Most of the lanc
destroyed was the property of private
| lumber companies, with several hun
dred acres of state-owned land alse
/ destroyed. The fires were in thu
| heart of the forest, in the Cascade
| and Brule Lakes district, north o
Grand Marais.