The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-08-10
Lightning
Starts Al Fires
In Forests
Largest One Is Near
Rexford, Covering Area
OF About Is Acres
ALL EITHER PUT OUT
OR UNDER CONTROL

passed over this district SATURDAYS
! night left Al fires in the Kootenaf
national forest As this is written
Wednesday noon, all Of them arQ
either extinguished or under con-
troll. Most OF the fires were very
small but one or two developed
into sizeable fires.
The largest one was in the Rex
ford district and about 200 men were
placed on it. The ]. Neils logging
crews from Warland and Troy, with
the exception of the sawyers, were
called on and willingly went ontn
this fire.
Another fire of Is acres developed
on Sullivan creek in the Rexford
district. This is under control.
There was another 25-acre fire
on Horse Range, near Libby, about
| the old Kennedy ranch. Also in tha
Libby district there was 4-acra
| fire above the clay bank near the
Jim Collier ranch and 6-acre fire
at the head OF Prospect creek.
Use Smoke Jumpers
Smoke jumpers were used this
week for the first time on the Koo-
tenai forest. Four men were flown
in from Missoula and two Of theny
were dropped onto a fire in the
high country at the head of Libby
creek and two onto a fire on the
ridge between Poornan and Ram
sey creeks. These two were later
reinforced by crew Of men from
the ranger station. These two fires
were In such difficult country to
reach that it was decided to call on
the smoke jumpers to help out. The
one on Libby creek was handled by
the two jumpers but the one on
POorman and Ramsey was Of such q
size that more men were needed.
--- 1stxi Acreage Smx1r
The total acreage burned amount
ed to only IT'S acres. This could
have been much larger had It not
been for the prompt work OF the
fire crews.
OF the Al fires, Is OF them were
Class A fires-up to one-quarter
acre. Ten were Class B fires-from
one-quarter to 10 acres. Two were
Class C--from 10 acres to 100 acres.
One was Class D-from 100 to 800
acres. That was the one on Boulder
creek in the Rexford district.
/ A plane came in Monday from
Missoula and took Supervisor K. A.
klehm up over the forest for
scouting trip.
Everyone Cooperates j
I'VE of the forest services feel
mighty fine over the wonderful CO.
operation we received from every
person called on" said Merrill
Tester, Of the Libby office staff,
whose duty it is to keep in close
touch with the fire situation. I'VE
called on tie mill crews in the north
end of the county and on the J.
Neils logging crews and there was
not the slightest hesitancy in the
way the men responded. All woods
crews and the officials of the Neils
company gave us the finest coopera-
ton. This means lot to us at such
times as this--a dangerous fire year
because of the dryness and because
of the shortage of available men.
I'm this connection I should also
like to commend our lookouts,'
continued Mr.. Tester Most OF them
are young boys, with few young
women among the number. Also.
most of them have had very little
experience. Yet they are all giving
good service and they were certain
ly on the job during the Saturday
night storm. In reporting the fires
when discovered by them, all Of
these lookouts reported close To-
cation of the fires.
"One Of the boys had an exciting
experience. He saw two lightning
strikes within about 200 feet Of his
lookout station and fires develop
from them. Soon sparks and ashes
were being blown up over the tow
er. Which gave that particular
young fellow quite thrill
At the time this is being written.
Wednesday morning, generous
rainfall is reported in the Raven
ranger district and clouds are over
hanging much Of the Kootenai dis
trict 1t is hoped the rain will be
quite general.