HALLI NAN MACKIN

TUIUIBER COTNPA}IY, I JIC.

Forest Fires Hir All-Time Low

Forest fires were held to a record low of 83,400 nationwide in 1957, breaking the 100,000 mark for the first time, announces the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Last year's record compares with 143,000 forest fires in 1956 and 200,800 in 1947. The area burned was almost halved, dropping from

Quality :-: Dependability !-! Service

AIYD.

6,605,900 acres in 1956 to 3,409,000 in 1957. Ten years ago fires burned 23,225,932 acres.

USDA commended three programs for outstanding contributions to forest fire prevention. One is the Smokey Bear campaign sponsored by its Forest Service and the state foreiters under the leadership of the Advertising Council. Another is the Keep Green Programs conducted by forest industries and the states. The third is the work of the Amercan Forestry Association in spearheading the Southern Forest Fire'Conference which did much to decrease fires in the South.

In some states, acreages burned increased two to seven times. In Idaho, for initance, 1,252 fires in 1956 burned 18,995 acres, while last year 1,327 fires burned 135,899 acres. Alaska, not included in the totals above, had one of its worst years, with 264 fires burning 4,778,372 acres.

The three major causes of forest fires during the past few years have been incendiarists, debris burners, and smokers. -In 1956, incendiarists topped the list:. in 1957, debris burners were No. l, starting 16,181 forest fires on lands given organized protection.

- A chart shorving the number of fires in 1957 and'1956 by States follows :