AMERICAN FORESTRY 



7f 



VOL. 28 



DECEMBER, 1922 



No. 348 



THE FIRE GALL OF THE NORTH WOODS 



By William T. Cox 



state Forester of Minnesota 



'T'HERE is a tendency toward more fires in the 

 woods. This is a fact which might as well be 

 faced squarely. 



Years ago, when the old growth of timber covered 

 the north country, fires were rather infrequent. But 

 even then great areas were occasionally laid waste. 

 The Indians were careful with fires and few white 

 men had taken up their residence between the St. 

 Croi.x and the Canadian boundary. That was then a 

 land of dense forest, of swamp and marsh, lakes and 

 winding streams. It seldom became dangerously dry 

 over large areas at the same time ; and fires, when they 

 did start, usually burned themselves out upon reaching 

 moist ground. 



For a numljer of years past conditions have been 

 changing. The fire danger is increasing. This is due 

 to a number of causes. First came the stripping ofif 

 of the bulk of the virgin pine, often accompanied by 



small fires which killed the remaining mixed timber 

 and left it to blow down and constitute further fuel 

 for accidental fires. The opening of the forest gave 

 freer play to the winds to dry the uplands. Settlers 

 then came in, not in compact settlements, but widely 

 scattered through the forest district; and wherever a 

 settler's clearing appeared- the danger of fire came with 

 it. Roads were constructed, and the traveling public 

 became a factor in the starting of fires. Hunters, 

 fishermen, campers, berrypickers, all played a part. 



"All Seasons, Fire Seasons" 



There used to be two clearly defined fire seasons in 

 Minnesota spring and fall. The spring season came after 

 the snow had gone and before fresh green vegetation had 

 come out. The fall season occurred after frost had killed 

 vegetation and the leaves had fallen. It lasted until snow 

 came or until heavy rains had soaked the carpet of 

 fallen leaves. Since the advent of dredges and ditch 



THK FIHK FIEND'S PATH COMPLETE RUIN AND DESOLATION LIE IN THE WAKE OF THE UNLEASHED FURY OF 

 THE RED SCOURGE. DESPERATE EFFORT TO CHECK THIS NEEDLESS WASTE IS WH^T THE FIRE CALL FROM 



THE NORTH WOODS REALLY MEANS. 



