Federal Government has the basic responsibility for 

 protecting Government -owned or controlled lands. Privately 

 owned lands lying within the boundaries of National Forests 

 are presently being protected by the National Forests 

 through agreement with the State Forester. Private lands 

 lying outside the National Forest boundaries, and outside 

 the boundaries of other Federal reservations, are furn- 

 ished protection only at the wish of the landowner, 

 depending upon the presence of an organized fire prot- 

 ection force. 



The 192U Clarke-McNary Law provides Federal cost- 

 sharing in forest fire control for the States « This 

 money is used to reduce the cost of protection to the 

 State and private landowners within the State. Only 

 landowners making payments for fire protection share 

 in this money. The State Forester is also indirectly 

 sharing in cost of protection for private forest lands 

 by furnishing training and equipment to associations and 

 county organizations that take on the responsibility of 

 wildland fire protection within any given area. 



(TABLE ) 

 Montana, east of the Continental Divide, does not 

 presently have adequate, organized forest fire protection 

 available except in a few limited areas. 



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