Milford chronicle., 1942-07-31
FOREST FIRES -GlYERED
THREE-QEARgER, ,AELIsJQNs:
- ACRES IN NORTHEAST
Secrstary Miciards ,AnhOuneesl Ma.
tionai Prevention Campaign


Forest fires burned over three
Quarters Or a million acres In IA
northeastern states in theillrst six
months Of 1942s Eastern Regional
Forester RIM Evans of the sBrrS.
Forest Service. said in Philadel-
phta last week IN connection with
the apnouncement by Secretary of
Agriculture Claude b Wickard, in
Washington, Of a national wartime
campaign to protect forests from
damage .f s6ss% tsfg =
! No .compEehensiye estimate. Of
damage has yet been possible, said,
Mr. Evans. but IA i130 fires occur;
red, damaging forests, farm h9mes
and fapeipgs besides threat atenipg
military and war production plants.
1ncehdiarism was the cause Of q
large number Of these iires, and
III one such fire In Rhode Island
large, stock piles OF government
lumber we're lost. Practically all
fires were set .or resulted from .hu
man cRrelessness, Sabotage was
suspected In several cases.
Forest !, Ares we're described as |
aid to the enemy BY Secretary |
Wickard In his announcement, oy-
'er a nationwide radio hook-up, o.
the campaign to prevent them.
This year our forests are In
added danger. They are in danger
df sabotage" said the secretary.
Destroying a. stand OF wartime
timber would be a stroke for un-
dercoyer agents of the Axis te
gloat over. - a. .ol
"Andf there is the possibility Of |
attacks from the air
There is nothing fantastic about |
such possibilities. We cannot for
get that submarines have landed
Nazi saboteurs on our very shores
or. that the British Royal Air
Force found it worthwhile tc
start fires in the forests of Ger
many. Every fire. in our fields oi 1
forests this year is an enemy, fire j
In the end it makes no difference /
L great forest blaze has beer
started by enemy action. or by the
of a loyal American
! Recognizing the acute wartime
ianger to the forests, Congress re
tently appropriated extra funds /
n addition to its customary CON
.ribution, to the states for forest
Ire protection. The states will EN-
5loy these funds, along with theii
SWn. appropriations, particularly 4
or the protection of critical TIM
,e4r ( resources. and ! War-actlyitE /
lreasl State ForesteFs fand State /
fire Wardens will have specially
acute problems this year, not only 1
because of the presence of many |
lew military and war, production |
plants in forest areas, but because
If Increased fire lighting transpor:-
alton problems and the fact that
many trained fire fighters are either
n military service or have been
AIKEN into war Industries. 4
The national campaign annOun-
ed by the. Secretary will be con-
lucted by, the state tand federal
crest agencies, assisted blythe sad-
,ertising of jcooperatihg Industries.
rhe public Especially the. press, 1
las Deeu ask6u. 10. tulu II ~, - 10
Iesigned ito develop public under
tanding, oE:the forest fire threat 70
gar.. fsesohfces;! to war. Industries,
nd to the time lost by the military
nd war workers in fighting fires.
he campaign slogan will be,
Careless Matches Aid the Axis" /
nd 1t is particularly desired to
Ell the public to be careful with
re and to help in ''cracking-down"
n; incendiarists and saboteurs who
TART fires malicfously. .,S.i <.
The '749 1896 acres Of forest land
6rned III the eastern region since I
earl HaTbor represents nearly Al
1e per cent of the total OF 49,
5000 acres receiving proaection
the IA eastern states from .
aine ! to kentucky, The area k
lrned, sfn s1DelaWare was 1,545
res. The number of fires report
ia the six months period was 4
q. The reduction OF this loss of +.
ar resources, and the spreyention
forest sabotage will; be the twin Il /!
IjectiVes of the Ationaf Warttime II 4
,rest Fire Prevention Campaign. II 4