Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-08-15
LADS FROM MANY
STATES DRILLED
TO FIGHT FIRES

Continued from Historical Pagc)
Shovelfuls OF earth are thrown upon
the fire, TO cool It first.
Dirt Sprayed Over Area
It isn't just tossed init is thrown
with q swish that sprays dirt over a
relatively large surface. For on this
fire as on the majority Of fires In
back country, the only water used Is
brought by the water boys TO slake
the thirst Of the firefighters. It's dirt
and dirt alone that dampens the
flame on this forest fire front.
They use the progressive step-up
method The leader Of each crew de-
ploys his men along the fire line with
approximately 15-foot spacings be-
tween each firefighter. Each man
moves forward along the fire front
filing past the leader until the last
man comes up to the leader.
When the leader shouts each man
in the crew stops to take over about
is feet Of fire line building. The front
crew cuts and clears the brush and
timber. Next In line comes the digging
crew, with shovels and Pulaskis.
The Pulaskis is used to cut the roots
and loosen the ground so that the
shovel can complete the trench max
ing job. job that is not finished until
the cutting and shoveling gets down
to mineral soil.
Suddenly, new sound comes from
below, like the roar of a wind. More
IRE? No-it'S the torch man. Out of
the smoke and trees below emerpes q
firefighter equipped with a roaring
torch. Fire for fighting forest fires.
Because a man cannot work effec-
lively right next to smoke and flames.
the fire line is built a few feet awav
from the edges of the fire, leaving an
unburned strip like a frill at the edge
Of the fire pattern.
Now comes the job Of the torch man
TO set fire to grass, weeds. brush and
tWigs between the trench and the rim
OF fire. No fire line is any good until
1t Is black clear to the edge.
Moving bis fire breathing wand
methodically over the forest litter
along the borderline between trench
and burning forest, the torch man
pauses on his way up the mountain
slope.
It's Bill Fencl from Chicago, a frosh
forester at Purdue university. With his
185 pounds he is readily capable of
shouldering the 35-pound pack with a
metal cylinder containing liquid pro-
pane under high pressure.
A valve at the top of the LIQUID
chamber releases propane gas which
PUSHES down a flexible tube to Join
with air and be ignited for the torch
mans earth-scorching Job.
Climbing up the zig-zag course of
the fire line we come upon a fire
fighter taking swig from the small
canteen that hangs from the belt of
every strawboSs. Want a drink?" of
fers perSpiring flame quelIer from
Whitefish, Mont
It was Roy Evenson. second-year
man at Montana Normal school, spe-
in education, and getting
more Of 1t out on this fire line where
olackened pines and frs were going
up in smoke.
And then the wind is shifted. A
welcome draft of cool, clean air sweeps
away smoke. Across the valley a
mighty range of mountains rises, their
lowest slopes clothed in timber, tops
crested here and there with patches
of departing snoW-a picture with uni
7ersal appeal to men in all ages-the
,an of the wide open spaces.
Fire or no fire, these young men
with the forest service are
harvesting rich experiences in their
living at Nine Mile camp and through
he smoke and sweat and tears of this
season these young citizens from all
parts of the country are contributing
heir share In winning forest resources
rom the arms of the forest fire devil.
They viii return to Maryland and
to Florida and Illinois, to
and New Mexico, better
equipped for their future in the pro-
eSSion of forestry. They VIII return
ully resolved Of an area of forest de-
truction of whatever cause must now
'hange to an age of forest conserva-
ion for all.