Evening star., 1947-10-26
Vigilance Increased
Against Woods Fires
AS Drought Continue!

Continued warm and clear wealth
er, forecast for today. brought fur
ther official efforts to prevent fires
In park and woodlands in the WASH
ington area.
State foresters and volunteers
were busy yesterday with more than
a dozen scattered fires in western
Maryland counties. All of these fires
were reported out or under control
last night. The district comprising
Prince Georges. Montgomery and
several other western counties added
80 men to the staff of 55 assigned
principally as watchers and patrols
in heavily wooded sections. State
Forester H. c. Buckingham an
nounced. =
Forester H. c. Buckingham an
Fire companies In Prince Georges,
County fought nine bruch fires yes
terday in the fayetteville, Belts
vile and Capitol Heights sections.
The fires were confined to small
areas and brought quickly under
control.
No Rain In Sight
Although predicting some cloud
mess for today, the Weather Bureau
saw no indication OF rain in the
immediate future. There has been
no rain here since September 26,
except for .02 OF an inch that fell
nine days ago. The longest stretch
OF consecutive rainleSs days In the
District was in 1901. 1t was % days.
Today's maximum temperature is
expected to reach IS degrees. Yes
terday'S high was 10 degrees at 2
and 3 pm.
Because of the drought, the Ma
tional Capital Parks yesterday or
dered day and night patrols in the
parks. Superintendent Irving C.
Root warned against danger from
brush fires and the spread of fire
through dry leaves.
District officials said they planned
no additional restrictions on the
use OF tireplaces In the parks. But
the Recreation Board, in issuing
permits Tor plcnicS, urges special
caution and strict observance of
all regulations.
Aid Sent to Maine.
washington was key point yes
terday in activity OF the Forest
Service OF the Agriculture DEPART
ment as we'll as the Interior De-
partment in mobilizing far-hung
manpower and other resources to
cope with the disastrous fires in
Maine. An Army transport plane.
carrying 10 Federal forestry experts
and equipment from Atlanta. picked
up IL other experienced fire fight
ers from the Interior Department
mere. The IL boarded the plane at
Field yesterday morning
and went on to Bangor, Me.
The largest OF the forest fires in
The vicinity of Washington buried
over more than $50 acres on Back
bone Mountain in Western Mary
land. Other fires in the neighbor-
mood OF Cumberland caused no great
property damage but the ME Tight +
erS, according to District Forester
William A. Parr, had a time of it,
lie said the crews used new beetle
'ractor,' recently added to the de-
oartment's equipment, and this did
'he work of approximately 20 men. /
Northern Virginia reported no
.orest fires yesterday. In the south
ern part of the State, however
almost 200 acres in the Dismal
swamp were burned. Another blaze
destroyed timber growth on approxi-
nately $50 acres between Ports
mouth and Suffolk. Air patrols are
covering the Dismal Swamp area
% detect hot spots and break
oVers,' the Virginia Forest Service
'eported. F..
A Weather Bureau official in
;Slchmond said he believed forests
N Northern Virginia were still
too green to be in great danger