100 MISC. PUBLICATION 9 0, TJ. S. DEPT. OF AGBICULTUBE 



6,200 acres of grass, brush, and timber. (Fig. 52.) These are 

 mostly man-caused, the majority being smokers' and campers' fires. 

 Many are started by discarding matches and cigarette and cigar 

 stubs before they are extinguished, and by leaving camp fires with- 

 out putting them entirely out. Not infrequently fires are set to burn 

 brush on private land at times when the hazard is too great, or are 

 left unattended and allowed to escape. Lightning fires, so prevalent 

 in some parts of the country, are not numerous in Utah. The big 

 problem in Utah is the elimination of man-caused fires. 



LAWS AND PENALTIES RELATIVE TO FOREST FIRES 



Both the Federal Government and the State of Utah have passed 

 laws for the punishment of persons who are responsible for fire on 

 forest areas. Under the Federal law, designed, of course, to protect 

 Federal lands, it is either a felony or misdemeanor, depending on 

 the circumstances, to set or cause to be set on fire any timber, under- 



Figuue 53. — Even a grass or brush fire will destroy bird life 



brush, or grass upon the public domain, or to leave unextinguished 

 a fire built in or near any forest, timber, or other inflammable mate- 

 rial upon the public domain. (Fig. 53.) If the offense is a felony, 

 the maximum punishment is a fine of not more than $5,000 or im- 

 prisonment of not more than two years, or both. If the offense is 

 a misdemeanor, the punishment is a fine of not more than $1,000 

 or imprisonment of not more than one year, or both. 



Under the authority of laws passed by Congress, the Secretary 

 of Agriculture has made certain regulations concerning the setting 

 of fires on national-forest lands. The violation of these regulations 

 is punishable in the Federal courts by a fine of not more than $500 

 or by imprisonment for not more than 12 months, or both. In 

 general, the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture on national 

 forest land prohibit : 



(1) Building camp fires at times or in places where they are likely to spread 

 or to be difficult to extinguish. 



(2) Leaving a camp fire without completely extinguishing it. 





