Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-05-14
Urges Great
CareWithF
In Forests
Supervisor Webb Writes
Article Asking Every
one to Use Caution.
MUST HAVE PUBLIC'S
COOPERATION
BY c. S. WEBB
Supervisor, Kootenai National Forest

During the past three weeks the
Kootenai National Forest has expert
enced an unusual number of early
fires All of these but one have orig
mated on private lands and excepting
two they have spread to National For
est lands where 1t became necessary to
take suppression measures. Out of
eleven fires eight were the result Of
troll. two resulted from smokers cast
ing out lighted cigarette butts, and the
origin of one is uncertain but is SUI
spected to have resulted from chill
dren playing with fire.
Lincoln county is wealthy in natural
timber resources, wealthy in attrac-
tive and beautiful scenic values and
every citizen of the county as we'll
as visitors should, it seems, keep III
mind that it is their dutTfto be ex-
tremely careful with fire in the woods
and not commit any act which may
result in blackening any of these acres
of beautiful wooded hillsides.
Let me say that ! fully appreciate
the rancher's need for fire in his clear
ing operations and the logger's need in
cleaning up his slashing debris. Inso-
far as fire is used carefully and wise
ly there can be no objection to its use
at the proper time The difficulty lies
with those who use fire neither wisely
nor carefully The proper and safe
way to use fire is, first, not to set out
a fire unless proper preparation has
been made beforehand, SO that the
fire can be held to the limit of need,
secondly to set fires toward evening
after the wind has gone down SO that
sparks will not be carried great dis
tances, and, third, to properly take
care Of the fire after 1t has BEEN yef
II is extremely careless of man to
set out fire for his own needs, then
90 away and leave 1t unattended to
blow across and bring damage to his
neighbor. We have had no rain since
April 18th, nearly one month. An UNI
usually great amount OF high winds
have had very drying effect on brush,
slash and surface litter. Fire runs al
most as readily in the lower country
as 1t might be expected to do in Aug
ust The open burning season came to
a close April 30. Anyone having burn
ing to do Is, under the state law, re-
quired to secure permit from the fire
warden or forest officer The forest
service and timber protective associa-
ton are responsible for keeping fire
from damaging forest growth. That is
the. big part of their job. It is not
enough to rush out and suppress fires
once started, we must do all in our
power to prevent fires from starting.
If man caused fires cannot be pre-
vented, success appears doubtful.
Man-caused fires in every case are
results Of some act of man. Man-caused
fires can be prevented. To prevent
them it is necessary that the entire
public take an active part. Forest and
association officials may do all they
can, but without the cooperation OF
the public they cannot prevent all these
catastrophies. My appeal to every set
tier, rancher, logger, camper, fisher
man, tourist, who has occasion to visit
the forests or has use for fire is that
he prevent fires from spreading be-
yond his needs. If you use fire or
smoking material or matches, please
be sure to do so in safe, wise and
careful manner SO as to make certain
no fire escapes from your control.
To those who have slash or debris
to burn it is earnestly recommended
that they consult the ranger or fire
warden in their locality and consider
his advice. If he considers burning
Continued on page 81