The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-05-09
500 FOREST FIRES IN TEN DAYS
BURN 16,5OO MARYLAND
ACRES

day period of forest fires exper-
fenced in Maryland since 1880. The
Department now has preliminary
reports on 800 fires which covered
an estimated acreage of 16,498
acres, about 80 percent of which
was forested. 1t is estimated that no
fewer than dozen cottages and resi-
dences, church located near Pasa-
dena, Anne Arundel County, and an
uncounted number of barns, sheds,
fences and smaller farm buildings
were consumed.
Ninety-four fires burned with
great speed and fiereeness on April
20 and FL spreading over an esti-
mated acreage of 1895 acres on
those two days alone, severly tax
ing the States available fire fight
ing equipment and indicating a
great need for more hand tools, We
hicles better adapted for transport
tation of water and manpower, and
expansion of radio facilities. Volun-
teers fiocked to the scene of the
larger fires, but could be of little
aid due to lack of fire tools and We
hicles to move the volunteers quick
ly from place to place as the fires
raced rapidly through the forests
to new locations.
Fires were widely distributed
throughout the State and were par
ticularly severe in Allegany, Anne
Arundel, Baltimore, Dorchester,
Garrett, Montgomery, st. Mary's,
Prince Georges, and Wicomico
Counties. Three fires on April 20
exceeded 1000 acres in size, the
largest causing great CONSERVATION
to suburban home owners in small
communities in Anne Arundel Co.
between the Severn River and the
Baltimore City line, and making a
great spectacle for thousands of per-
sons in the Baltimore-Annapolis
Metropolitan area. The second fire
burned $500 acres near Pittsville,
Wicomico County, which community
was for a time endangered by the
spreading fire. This fire severely
damaged over half of the Eastern
Shore Experimental Forest Service,
dangerously threatened the new Ex-
priment Station buildings at the
forest, burned the paint and two
tires off of a truck used by the Ex-
pertinent Station, and destroyed a
plantation of 10000 loblolly pine
trees that had just been planted. The
third fire burned a little over 1000
acres on Backbone Mountain, Gar
rett County, and swept through a
portion of the Potomac State Forest
did great harm to a fine hunting
area and produced heavy layer OF
charcoal and ashes which will soon
be washed into some of the States
best trout streams to the evident
the fish as well. Enrollees from CCC
Camps at Taskers Corner, Swallow
Falls, and Meadow Mountain aided
Forest Wardens and nearly a hun
dred registered State fire fighters in
saving $4,000 acres of State and
private forest lands that were
threatened on Backbone Mountain
by this fire.
Ninety percent of the fires were
controlled by Forest Wardens and
their registered fire crews or the
volunteer fire companies under theil
direction. However, on the larger
fires great amount of assistance
given by CCC crews, independent
fire companies operating without
] Forest Wardens, WPA workers, tree
trimming crews of public service
companies, Coast Guardsmen from
the Curtis Bay Station, Army train
ees at Fort George G. Meade, and
the inmates and employees of sever
al State institutions.
In discussing the situation with a
group of alarmed property owners
on April 81, State Forester F. w
Besley stated the following:
1.-THE fire losses have been heavy
and the Forestry Department is
being criticised for allowing these
fires to burn so much area and do SC
much damage. We have no apollo
gies to offer. All of our available
forces were called into action and
did good job with reduced funds
with a resulting lack of personnel
and shortage of tools and equip
ment. 1t is fortunate that the losses
were not greater.
Il believe in wise economies in
public administration, but I do
not believe the people of Maryland
want US to sacrifice the accomplish
ments of the past 10 or 20 years in
successfully protecting our forests,
in order to make temporary and
risky saving in current expendi-
lures. The values that have gone up
in smoke would have adequately
supplemented the States present
protection expenditures for the
next five years."