The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1940-07-18

surrounded Tuesday Monday night
another electrical bombardment of
lesser Intensity and with a little
spotted rain resulted in SO fires and
many strikes.
Immediately following the break
ing out of the fires, the J. Neils
lumber company turned its mill and
woods crews over to the forest serv-
ice. I'VE obtained the fullest CO.
operation not only from the Of
ficials of the company but also from
everyone of the men," said Mr..
Klehm. That fine cooperation is
certainly appreciated by the forest
service"
With this large number of men
employed in hazardous work it is
pleasing to report that there were no
serious accidents on the local for
est. But an equally fortunate re-
port cannot be made for other dis
tricts. An airplane crashed on the
Bitterroot forest Tuesday morning.
The pilot was killed and his radio
operator seriously injured. The men
had secuted over the Kootenai for
est during the present fires. Just
what was responsible for the acct
dent is not known. This is the first
man killed in forest service flying,
although they have been using air.
planes for scouting fires for many
years. While scouting over the Koo-
tenai fires, the pilot was accompan-
led by c. j. Lillevig, assistant SUI
pervisor.
When it was seen that the service
was faced by a bad fire situation,
men were rushed into the Libby
district by bus and train from far
distant points They came from as
far as Butte, Billings, Spokane, Wal
lace and Lewiston, Ida A special
train was run in from Spokane
bringing several hundred men.
SIX outside pack strings were
brought in by truck, five of them
from Missoula, one from Standpoint.
Overhead crews were brought in
from Region 6, i. e., from the Ore
gon- Washington district. Overhead
crews are men trained in the fight
ing of fires and who help to direct
the fighting in the field.
The forest service used an air.
plane to drop camp equipment for
SO men on the top of Yak noun
tain. Bedding, food and tools were
dropped there very successfully.
This was in an inaccessible place
and could only be reached, in time,
by airplane.
Two loads of water were also
dropped by airplane on Turner
mountain, one of the worst fires.
This also was very successfully
done. While this method was ex-
pensive, yet it was the only method
by which water could be got to the
men. The camp was a dry one and
the trail to the camp had been
closed to pack train use by the fire
The Turner mountain fire and one
on Loon lake burned together COW
ering something more than 70(
acres. This was corralled Monday
night. 1t burned over the same area
as the 1910 fire, and the down tim
Der from that fire, coupled with thu
new growth, made a very hot fire
states Mr.. Klehm. The Turner look
out station was not burned. TIL,
fire surrounded it but did not burr
it.
The Lost Horse mountain fir,
covered $50 acres. 1t also was sur
rounded Monday night.
The fire on Spread creek CAV
considerable trouble and covere,
from 700 to 800 acres. 1t was con
trolled Tuesday.
On Deep creek the blaze burne
over about 800 acres. 1t also wa
surrounded Monday night.
There were many smaller fires j
the Wolf creek area but they weT
all controlled Monday.
In Reinhart Gulch, near Swan
creek. 200 acres were burned. ais
corralled Sunday night. On tn
fire bulldozer of the j. Neils Lun
Der Company was used to good az
vantage building trench and simil;
work.
Supervisor Klehm calls attentic
to the fact that because of redu
ton in fIanpac fayuar 1onLo,,fc ,,ta-