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Show LOW FIRE LOSS OX NATIONAL FORESTS IN 1010. A loss to tho Government ot $1C2-38G $1C2-38G In timber, forago and young growth gro-wth was caused by Area on tho National Nat-ional Forests in 101C, according to statistics compiled by tho Forest Ser vice. Although there was moro than tho average number of fires, tho loss Is tho smallest that has been sustained sustai-ned from fires alnco tho National Forests woro established. A favorable favor-able season In tho regions whoro tho moat severe damago Is usually sustained sus-tained Is given as tho chief reason ! for tho relatively small loss. I A total of 200,377 acros of Government Gov-ernment land was burned over. In addition to this, tho fires covorod 123, ICO acres of privately owned land In tho National Forests whoro tlmbor valued at $3G,214 was consumed. con-sumed. About 44 per cent of tho total area burned was locatod In tho National Forests of Arkansas and Florida. Ot tho 5.GG5 (Iron which occurred, 1,133, or 73 per cent woro confined to areas of less than 10 acros. Many of thoso small Arcs, according to tho Forest Servlco, might havo developed develop-ed into serious conflagrations had they not been extinguished In their inclploncy. The avorago cost of fighting each flro was approximately half that of former years. Lightning was tho chlof causo of tho fires and was responsible re-sponsible for' 23 per cent of all those which occurred. Tho causes of 18 i per cent were unknown, whllo caro-less caro-less campers started 17 per cent. There was a slight Increaso In tho fires of Incendiary origin, as well as thoso started by sparks from locomotives. locomo-tives. With tho exception of those caused by lightning, all tho fires wcro duo to human agencies. One II ro in Idaho which burned 000,000 feet of timber wa3 caused by tho carolessness of a ten year old boy. Tho season was ono of particular sovorlty In tho southwest, ns well os parts of Colorado and Wyomnlg, where local wcathor conditions created cre-ated at times a grave situation. In Washington heavy loss was caused by fires which started In Inaccesslblo places and which tho rangers were unablo to reach for several days be- I cause of tho lack of trails. .- |