NUMEROUS FOREST FIRES 



517 



A Fire Discovered. 



THIS IS A VIEW OF A FIRE JUST DISCOVERED BY A PATROL STATIONED AT A LOOKOUT STATION. AS A 

 RESULT OF THE ALARM SENT OUT BY HIM IT WAS FOUGHT AND QUENCHED BEFORE MUCH DAM- 

 AGE WAS DONE. 



The rainfall throughout the greater 

 part of the southeast during most of 

 March, April, and May was below 

 normal, and in certain sections of the 

 Carolinas in May the rainfall dropped 

 as low as two per cent of the normal. 

 The number of fires reported in the 

 southeastern forest areas increased dur- 

 ing the spring months, while the 

 drought increased. Only 26 fires were 

 reported for March, 89 for April, and 

 104 for May. The latter month is 

 usually a safe one as regards forest 

 fires. Most of the fires occurred on 

 the White Top, Unaka, and Smoky 

 Mountain areas on the Carolina high- 

 land, which are crossed by railroads. 

 Railroads are given as the cause of 

 three-quarters of the April fires re- 

 ported. Only those fires which were 

 burning or near government land were 

 reported by the forest service ; they are, 

 therefore, only a small portion of all 

 the fires. 



The month of June started in with 

 the drought continuing at full blast in 

 the southeast. A few local rains and 

 showers have occurred, but these have 

 not been sufficient to reduce the fire 

 hazard. 



In the far west the two bureaus of 

 the department are cooperating to the 

 fullest extent, the weather bureau fur- 



nishing special warnings of drying 

 winds and the forest service taking 

 extra precautions when such warnings 

 are received. 



SPORTSMEN SllOl'LD HELP. 



Because of the fact that many forest 

 fires are set through the carelessness 

 of hunters, campers, and others who go 

 into the woods for recreation, the For- 

 est Service has taken u]) with manu- 

 facturers of firearms and ammunition 

 the (|uestion of a cooperative arrange- 

 ment through which purchasers and 

 users of gims and cartridges shall be 

 reminded of the fire danger. 



It has been pointed out that in the 

 lumber regions of the Northwest, for 

 example, manufacturers and other busi- 

 ness men have been having printed or 

 stamped on their stationery and pay 

 checks various crisp, catchy statements 

 about the loss which the ])ublic suffers 

 through the decreased demand for 

 labor and decreased money in circula- 

 tion if timber, which is the source of 

 many of the Northwest's industries, is 

 burned up. 



It has also been pointed out that in 

 the east particularly many forest fires 

 are started by the carelessness of hunt- 

 ers, who drop l)urning matches, cigar or 

 cigarette stum])s. or pipe coals in the 

 woods, or perhaps build a fire which is 



