Canadian Forcslru Journal, June, 1917 1173 



Clergpmen Aid with Fire Warnings 



One of the many plans employed lion Sunday." To the French-speak- 

 by the Canadian Forestry Association ing Roman Catholic clergy of Quebec, 

 to head off the hre season by appeals the date of June 10th was suggested, 

 to the Canadian public for care and the notices being arranged in French 

 co-operation, was the sending of let- ^^d with special reference to Q.ue])ec. 

 ters to four thousand Canadian , ^ ,• , r r , , i 

 clergymen of all denominations and The English form of letter and the 

 in all the provinces, suggesting Sun- pulpit announcement were as fol- 

 day, June 3rd as a "Forest Conserva- ows: 



"Sunday, June 3rd, 1917, has been suggested as Forest Conservation 

 Sunday throughout the Dominion. Annually the needless loss of life and 

 property through individual carelessness with fire in the forests has been 

 the subject of rnany sermons. Last year a score of effective pulpit addresses 

 were based upon the Northern Ontario holocaust. 



Do you not regard it as desirable that a few words should be spoken 

 in advance of the season of forest fire hazard so that 1917 may be spared the 

 tragic sacrifice of 265 lives and a loss of from four to six million dollars worth 

 of property such as characterized 1916? 



A pronouncement by the clergymen of Canada at this time will help 

 achieve a result of the highest national importance. 



Yours sincerely, 

 CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 



The Pulpit Notice 



"At this season when the hazard of forest fires throughout Canada 

 is reaching its height and the country is threatened with tragic loss of life 

 and property, I have been asked by the Canadian Forestry Association of 

 Ottawa to bring the following statement to the attention of this congregation: 



Every year the careless conduct of settlers, campers, sportsmen, pros- 

 pectors and others in or near the forests causes a needless property loss to 

 Canada of from four to six million dollars. In this loss every citizen shares. 

 It may be stated with truth that the Canadian people bear nine-tenths of 

 the damage caused by forest conflagrations and that, therefore, he who does 

 not seek at every turn to preserve our timber possessions from fire is play- 

 ing false te his country. 



Canada's power of recuperation after the war depends upon the pro- 

 ductive state of her natural resources. A century of neglect has so reduced 

 the timber supply that only tKe most careful husbanding will enable us to 

 meet the needs of the future. When we realize that our forests are growing 

 mainly where no other crop can thrive, and that ten trees fall by fire to one 

 that falls by the axe of the lumberman, the cause of forest conservation is 

 clearly identified with good citizenship. 



A few practical hints may be adopted with valuable result: No camp 

 fire should be built except among rocks or gravel, never in a bog, or in leaves, 

 or evergreen needles. The camp fire should always be put dead out before 

 leaving. Take no chances with a smouldering fire, but use a few extra pails 

 of water or shovels of earth to make absolutely sure it is extinguished. Light- 

 ed tobacco or matches, carelessly thrown away in the forest, have started 

 hundreds of bad fires. 



By personal co-operation in this nation-wide programme of forest guard- 

 ing, it is believed that the country's losses in this most easily-destructible 

 resource will be greatly reduced and many human beings saved from death 

 in forest fires." 



