VpperSivan Vattey"HistoricalSociety
NEWS & NOTES VOL. VI, WO. 2
Fire SeaSOn by Steve Lamar
Each year as summer heats up and the landscape dries out the possibility of forest fires increases. Mix in periodic thunderstorms marching across our valley dropping lightning strikes and things can get exciting real fast. This year the Condon Mountain fire on the Swan Front filled our valley with smoke, firefighters and helicopters. But whether lightning or human caused, fire has historically shaped our landscape. Prior to the permanent settlement of the Upper Swan Valley, native tribes were known to have burned the land on a periodic basis. Only in the past 100 years has there been an organized concerted effort to suppress forest fires. In the 'Big Blowup of 1910' , a number of small fires, pushed by strong winds, grew together, joined nearby fires and expanded quickly into a fast moving fire storm which burned down a few small towns and parts of larger ones with a loss of life estimated at 85 people. Over 3 million acres burned in the course of a few days primarily in Washington, Idaho, and Montana and that drastically changed the way our nation dealt with forest fires. With public pressure mounting in the aftermath of the 1910 fires, the US Forest Service's role in dealing with forest fire suppression expanded. More employees were hired to carry out these suppression efforts. Trails and roads were built into remote areas to aid in getting fire fighters and supplies quickly to the fires. Fire Lookout cabins, observation points, and towers were built in strategic areas in order to be able to see large areas for early detection of smoke and fire. Com- Swan Valley homesteader Chris Sorenson munications were improved by telephone lines consisting of number at the Jim Creek Lookout in 1923. 9 wire being strung in the trees along many of the trails, connecting the lookouts to the US Forest Service cabins and ranger stations. The Forest Homestead Act of 1906 opened up areas like the upper Swan Valley for homesteading. Because the land was mostly in checkerboard ownership with every other section designated either US Forest Service land or Northern Pacific, homestead entries were delayed until survey lines were established to determine ownership. Only US Forest Service lands could be homesteaded. In 1910, the Continued on page 5
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