Routt National Forest

FIRE PREVENTION

Fire is the worst enemy of our forests. It destroys the wild animals, the timber, shrubs, and flowers in its path, and even robs the soil of fertil elements. Removal of the protective surface cover by fire paves the way for subsequent heavy soil losses as the rains fall and roll down steep, charred slopes unchecked. Trout streams soon become fouled with muddy waters and the trout leave.

But with care, fire can be largely eliminated in the timber. Practically all of the larger burned-over areas on the Routt date back some 60 years to the carelessness of man before the national forests were established. In those early days, when a fire started no effort was made to put it out unless it endangered a settlement. Since the forest has been under Government control, this toll of destruction from fires has been much reduced. Cooperation by the public in promptly reporting fires to the nearest forest officer or fire warden and quick attack by organized fire-control crews, under the direction of experienced forest officers, keeps fires from reaching large proportions.

STATION FOR MEASURING FIRE DANGER IN THE FORESTS F—365826

Fire records kept on the Routt since 1909 show that 213 fires have burned over 2,122 acres of forested land, an average of only 66 acres per year, during the 32-year period. Eighty percent of this land was national forest, the remainder private or State-owned. Of the total, 168, or 78 percent of the fires, resulted from man's carelessness. Practice the rules for fire prevention given on the map attached to this booklet and help keep our forests green.