The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-04-10
1880 FOREST FIRE RECORD

uIOu6nC etll0 LII 2 n0A6A VI sOOl 1A1So
the year 1880 makes it diff
cult to determine whether
little, if any, improvement
was made during the year in
forest fire control. In spite of
the great loss and expense
there are many encouraging
aspects.
The total of 2,313 fires in
Maryland indicates clearly the
seriousness Of the conditions
which existed. This number
of fires is over three and one
half times as many as were
reported in 1928, in which
year 634 fires constituted the
greatest number to have been
recorded in any one year pre-
vious to 1880. About 20 fires
occurred during the first ten
days of January, pretty well
scattered over the State Con-
tinuous fire conditions opened
on February 20 and progressed
with increasing intensity until
past the middle of May. Def
mite relief did not occur until
June 6 when humid conditions
stopped occurrence of fires but
no rain of any Importance fell.
The unprecedented summer
drought first made it's presence
felt when fires reappeared on
July 4, and the most destruc-
tive fires yet experienced in
Maryland occurred during July
and August. Fire conditions
continued unabated until the
middle of November at which
time relief was experienced in
District III, the Eastern Shore.
Conditions were not relieved
ID District II, the Western
Shore, until November %, and
on December 9 in District I,
Western Maryland. A few
scattered fires occurred on the
Western Shore even after these
iates. 1t can truly be said that
here were few days in 1880
which were not fire days.
The total area burned in
1880 amounted to 102,311 acres
the largest area ever to have
burned within one year in
Maryland. Consequently, it is
with surprise that we find
there is some encouragement
mi the size of the average fire,
which is usually recognized as
IN indicator of fire-fighting Of
iciency. The figure for 1880
IS "A acres. This is not as
good as the record of Al acres
n 1924, 10 acres in 1927, anu
Il acres in 1929. The year
1929 was regarded as a fire
I@ar of normal hazard, while
-914 and 1927 were both re-
5,a'ded as decidedly sub-nor-
nal. 1t is natural that the or-
sanlzation should be abia to
tltalh better efficiency rating
turing the years when fire
Conditions are not beyond nor
nal. All the other years dur
ng the ten-year period, 1921
. 1880, as indicated by Mary
and fire records, have been
lore severe than the years
:J24, 1927 and 1929. In 1928
ne size of the average fire was
Il acres and in 1926, an es-
)ecially severe year, the aver
.ge fire mounted to ITO acres.
t should, therefore, be graft
lying to the forest wardens to
tote that during the worst
year on record, 1890, their
sanization has attained an eff
iciency record which is better
han any of the severe years
Turing the past ten-year
period.
There were Is fires over l.
900 acres in size. Seven of
these occurred between April
l and May 5. The largest fire
of the year occurred on Dams
Mountain in Allegany County,
burning 7.400 acres, on July
% to August 10. The Freder-
lex City watershed on Catoc-
tin Mountain, which the De.
partment of Forestry and the
City OF Frederick have been
cooperating to protect, was
visited by 1000 acre fire on
May 4 to 8. Large fires were
coated in all important for
osted counties of the State.
Fires broke out repeatedly and
teep trenching and extended