Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-08-08
Wind Fans Forest Fire,
Still Spreading After
Deaths in Montana
BY the Assoeiafsd Press

men strained desperately to ira
the mammoth Gates Of the Noun
tains fire.
About 400 men worked through,
out last night building fire lines
encircle the killer Of IL Fores
Service parachutists and anothe
firefighter.
They hoped to complete tn
final 3 miles Of fire line, bottlin
the wilderness area blaze on $500.
foot Willow Peak today. Blu
westerly winds of Is to Is mile
an hour drove rampaging flame
rapidly towards the east slop
and vast expanses Of dense tim
Der beyond.
The Weather Bureau predicted
moreover, that winds may in
crease to 1885 miles an hour lat.
today.
Two determined groups of mel
moved in from the TANKS toda,
against the fire which has black
ened 5000 to 5000 acres sine,
Friday and has a perimeter of O.
miles.
Showers Slow Flames.
Showers slowed the advance O.
the flames yesterday, but a 20
mile an hour wind famed the fir,
in the northeastern section.
The fire devastated from 800 t,
1900 acres yesterday.
Willow Mountain is east O.
Mann Gulch, where the lightning
blaze started Friday. The fire ha!
moved 4 miles east of where thu
Missouri River winds picturesque.
ly through Mountain Peaks.
Calls for volunteers went out
again yesterday. Forest Service
officials sent fresh men in to re.
lieve those nearly exhausted or
fire. lines. They also built up 3
pool Of manpower-in case the
fire crosses Willow Mountain.
The Forest Service has not sent
any OF its parachuting fire fight
ers to the blaze since Friday
when the smoke jumping program
suffered its worst tragedy in its
10-year history.
Is Parachutists Trapped.
Fifteen smoke jumpers, mostly
college. students, were trapped by
fire when the wind shifted sud-
dely after they were safely on the
ground at MINI Gulch. Only
three escaped.
In addition to the IL smoke.
jumpers, the fire killed a preven-
ton guard from nearby Canyon
Ferry ranger station.
A helicopter brought the
charred bodies to a. Helena
morgue, where fellow fire fighters
identified them -
hopping up operations cod-
tinued today on. three smaller
fires In Montana. = - 80
Nine miles to the southeast oil
the Gates Of the Mountains blaze
a 50-man crew was polishing Of
q fire which blackened 1900 acres
In the Bull Run Gulch area, aAeaz
York. >.,., 1Y.t =.
sixty-five more were moppins
up what was left of a blaze at the
head of Wolf Greek. "A crew~of IL
held a fire along Canyon Greek,
20 miles west of Melrose, to about
80 acres. go
Dead Identified.
Forest Service officials gave this
identification list of the dead:
James O. Harrison, 20, Mis-
soula, a ranger station employe
Robert J. Bennett, %, of Paris
Tenn.
Joseph B. Sylvia, "a, Plymouth
Mass, a University of Minnesota
student.
William j. Hellman, "a, Kali
spell. Mont.
Eldone E. Diettert, 10, Missoula
Newton r. Thompson, Alham-
bra, Calf.
]. Stanley Reba, as, Brooklyn.
N. Y.
Marvin L. Sherman, Missoula,
Mont.
Phillip r. Mcvey, Babb, Mont.
Leonard L. Piper, %, Blairs-
vile, Pa.
silas r. Thompson, II, Char
lotte, N. c.
Henry ]. Thol, 10. Kalispell.
Mont.
David r. Navon. 20, Modesto
Calf.
One Idaho Fire Controlled.
Fighters controlled one fire ir
Idaho, but another burned un.
checked in the rugged area alonl
the Salmon River. The blaze ha'
ranged over approximately 5000
acres Of tinnberlahd and Fores1
Service of1iciales said it was con-
tinuing to spread rapidly.
Planes were used to carry mer
to the scene, about 10 airlin,
miles north Of Boise. More thar
500 fire fighters now are engaged
Fire dispatcher Slim Vassar o.
the Payette National Forest sale
about the worst possible fire con
ditions" prevail
1T was windy all night" HI
said. 1T is bright and clear TO-
day and the humidity is low. tt
bad fire weather and the OUTLOOK
is not so good"
Another fire which burned ovel
approximately 2,400 acres in tn.
Boise National Forest, northeas
of Idaho City, was believed con-
trolled. Dispatcher Lynn Knigh
said that barring an unfavorabl'
turn in the weather the fire shoule
cause no further trouble.
Zsd L. williams 4 Zed ]
FURNITURE & Ho