Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-06-23

ments of that year, is slowed down
every time woods and mill crews
fight fires.
Forest fires are real and potential
threats to war plants and canton
ments, many of which are located
in and near forest, woodland or
Undiscovered areas. They are po-
.tential threats too, to the efficient
operation of defensive air and sea
patrols, training pilots, etc. They
threaten the nations war program
by dlverting manpoWer from war
industries, training camps and
farms to the fighting of fires.
Every patriotic citizen should re-
gard helping prevent forest fires as
an essential wartime duty. Lieut..
Gen. John L. Dewitt, while head of
the Western defense command, list
ed reasons why the forest fires en-
danger our national security:
Cd SmOke-palls from forest fires
along coastal areas limit visibility
of air and sea patrols. (2) Smoke
haze reduces visibility from aircraft
warning stations and fire lOokouts.
(3) Many defense plants and mill
tary establishments are located in
or adjacent to forest areas and
might be damaged or destroyed by
major CONGREGATIONS. az Forest
fires serve as beacOns for the enc
my.
The Governments Part.
There are 100 national forests with
about l78,000,000 federally owned
acres in AZ states and two terri
tories. All are under 10 regional
foresters Zone in Alaska) and their
STATS. National forests are protect
ed from fire by a decentralized or
ganization that is in close and con-
slant touch with local conditions,
problems and people.
Normally, this organization in
cludes about 1000 year-long forest
supervisors, forest rangers, forest
guards, ETC., and another 1900 short
term smokechaserS, lookouts, etc.
But the manpoWer situation has
been so acute during the war that
the Office of Civilian Defense estab-
lished the Forest Fire Fighters
Service" to help the established for
est fire protection agencies. 1t is
reported that more than 1875, 1000 re-
cruits have Joined the F'FFS to date.
There are 29l 100000 acres of
state and privately owned forest
land. Federal aid, through the For
est Service, goes to Al states to help
state foreSters and private own
erS give organized cooperative for
est fire protection. Funds from state
and private sources are greater than
those from the federal government.
However, there are over l46, 900, 900
acres that need, but still lack, Or
gained forest fire protection.
In their efforts to prevent forest
fires, the federal government and
state governments have operated on
regional and statewide basis.
Their educational efforts on a local
level have been carried through the
media of newspapers, radio stations,
motion picture theaters, civic organ
izatons, etc. And in addition, they
have used exhibits, lectures, pam
phlets, admonition signs and post
ers.
The Public'S Part.
Above all else there is need to
impress upon the public that every
Individual has a patriotic stake in
this EMERGENCY-t the prob
lem can only be solved through indi-
vidual action.
Specifically, the need is:
l. For the public to be careful
with matches, smokes - including
cigarettes, cigars and pipe ashes
and campfires.
2. For victory gardeners as well
as farmers, ranchers, stOckmen and
forest industries to ask about a per-