Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-12-17
FEWER FOREST
FIRES IN 1888
HAZARD LOWER AND DANGER
SEASON SHORTER THAN IN
OTHER RECENT YEARS
Statistical Survey by Bruce Groves Of
Helena Office Shows Situation Was
True In II National Reservations Of
Northern Rockies.


urements Of fire danger In the
Helena national forest the 1898
fire season was both shorter in
duration and of lower danger than
has been common during the past
few years.
Such was the statement of Bruce
Groves Of the Helena office who has
! conducted a statistical survey of the
! fire situation for the past several years
/ The same IS true Of the fire danger
! on the II national forests in the
! northern Rocky mountain region
/ Groves said.
The whole period from April to Sep
TENDER was low, due to the excessive
moisture. A so percent decrease in fires,
both man-made and lightning blazes,
was noted on this years final figures
as presented by Groves. September
was the exception Of months In the
fire season, 1t was learned, several
critical days being passed through for
August, ordinarily the most danger
Gus period Of the year, saw the record
ing Of extremely low fire dangers. The
average was between three and four,
where usually 1t ranges well up toward
the six mark
Information collected by Groves
from other sections of the government
forests in Montana and northern Idaho
showed many interesting facts con-
corning fires and fire protection:
Continuous Lightning Threat
Lightning was one of the most i'm
portant factors Of danger in 1888 and
was universal and almost continuous
threat on all the forests Of the entire
region from early June until the end
of September. On the western Mon
tana and northern Idaho forests there
are normally lightning storms on So
Of the SO days between June 20 and
Sept II This year there were storms
on IS days of this period. The near
record number of 100 lightning fires
started the night of July is on the
Kaniksu forest is evidence of the ac-
tivity Of these storms. The prompt
control Of all these fires by the Kanik-
Su organization, with six ranger dis
trictS rating class as to 49 In danger
on the day Of control, is evidence Of
the dividends now being collected from
recent investments in better fire con-
troll planning, better facilities and
better training Of men, A similar epi-
demic of some $50 fires in 1925 re-
suited In the burning of more than !
10000 acres under danger conditions |
which, although not measured at that /
time, are not believed to have been
ally WOAoC L4ldA4 ILLS year.
July Rains Help
Although an exceptional June /
drouth In extreme northern Idaho and /
northwestern Montana threatened early |
and high fire danger, good rains the |
first week Of July relieved this stu
alton. BY July 10 to IS, nevertheless,
practically all forests were experience
ng class danger which warrants the
placing Of the regular summer pro-
,ective organization. From then until
The sustained occurrence Of class 3, or
ower danger, on Sept. 81, gave a fire
season length Of 70 days. Comparable
figures for previous years are: 1887
'6 days; l936-80 days; 1935-100 days,
md 1888 days.
July and August, the months of
usually highest danger, were average
" below this year. Only the Cabinet
occur d'Alene, Kaniksu and Kootenai
orests rated about so percent Of worst
probable danger. No forests rated
percent or more, IS rated
percent to SO percent, and
! In south-central Montana rated easy,
" below 80 percent
A second regional epidemic Of 1S2
lightning fires during the first 10 days
# September, which normally brings
My As fires from this cause, also was
handled successfully by the fire control
Safer Than 1887
While the 1888 season was ike that
4 1897 In lacking those dangerous
'eriodS of several consecutive days of
lass or higher danger, 1t was even
afer because during August,
yhen danger Is usually greatest, spor-
die but protracted rains produced a
marked reduction In danger This was
ollowed, however, by a return to nor
nal danger and then by the most
angerous September on record.
During the first few days Of Sep
ember, and again between the 14th
nd 23d, many weather bureau sta
ons reported all-time, record break
" temperatures Of over 80 degrees.
fean temperatures for the month ran
S much as 9.6 degrees above normal.
ONE forests and many ranger dis
-ictS experienced the highest fire
anger Of the year during this dis
nctly abnormal September.
Under such erratic fluctuations OF
anger the 1888 season, even though it
rated as slightly below normal in
verage fire danger, was clearly not
ne which safely permitted marked
In fire control presup-
ression expense, especially in northern
iaho and northwestern Montana.
-S1-
n TNR Mn WYNN