The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-01-23
FOREST FIRE LOSSES in
1929 REDUCED $l75,OOO
Number of Forest Fires Also
Greatly Reduced, According to
State Forester F. w. Besley

s Fire loss to the forests of Mary
land was cut approximately $175,00O
during the year 1929, and the number
of forest fires was greatly reduced
accoding to F. W. Besley, chief of the
State Department of Forestry. Mr.
Besley attributes the improved system
of protecting Maryland forests
against the ravages of fire to the sci
entifc organization of fire patrolmen
throughout the State and intelligent
cooperation on the part of landowners
and farmers.
The damage caused by forest fires
in the state last year amounted to
$75,262, as compared with $257, 553
during 1928. These figures, according
to State Forester Besley, are impor-
tant, as they reflect the effective work
of one branch of the State Depart
ment of Forestry.
$7,172 Expenses
Expense incurred in fighting the
fires amounted to $7,172 for last year
as compared with $7,842 for the pre-
ceding year. The appreciable cut in
the great damage done to the forests
of the state emphasizes the Importance
of an effective fire-fghting patrol in
the counties, Mr.. Besley said.
Prior to the organization of the fire
patrols as they are constituted today
forests and timberland valued at mil
lions of dollars were destroyed by
fires which were preventable. In many
cases damage amounted to hundreds
of thousands of dollars was caused by
willful neglect on the part of farm
tenants, Mr.. Besley asserted.
There are now $50 trained fire war
dens and fire patrolmen in the coun-
ties of the state and, with the excep-
ton of deputy foresters, pay is only
received for actual fire-ighting work
Mr.. Besley and his assistants, work
ing in conjunction with the forestry
experts of the University of Mary
land, have organized the fre-fighting
companies in stragetic sections thru
out the state.
Fire Towers
At high points in the counties of
the state there are towers from which
fire wardens watch. There are four
teen such towers and when the war
den spots smoke, which he determines
to be the beginning of forest fire, he
calls out his fire patrolmen. The de-
partment is equipped with freight
ing apparatus.
Enforcement of the forest fire law
enacted by the Legislature Of 1929,
the cooperation of railroads and edu-
Sational campaigns have aided in re-
ducing the number of fires, Mr.. Bes-
ley declared.
Mr.. Besley said:
"In recent years many fires which
developed into forest CONGREGATIONS
were caused by careless brush burn
ers: Tenants would burn off sedge
field and not take precaution to pre-
vent the flames reaching the adjoin-
ing forest.
Fire Laws
"The last Legislature enacted law
carrying a fine and Imprisonment for
a year for person who willfully per-
mitted brush fire to get beyond con-
troll. AS a consequence brush fires.
which in previous years caused nearly
so per cent of the forest fires, have
been reduced more than half. Nearly
one-quarter of the fires are yet caused
by careless hunters.
"The law requiring railroads to
clear annually a 100-foot strip along
such portions of their right-of-way as
have been declared fire hazards has
greatly reduced the number of fires
caused by locomotives. The railroads
have given the forestry department
splendid cooperation.
"Another commendable feature for
control and reduction of forest fires
is the fact that a number Of large
landowners maintain private patrols
on their forest lands.
"Scores of fire-fighting crews have
been organized throughout the state
These men are not paid except when
they respond to call and they receive
wages only for the actual time en-