Show destructive FOREST FIRE IN ELK the most destructive forest fire that has occurred on the la sal forest in years took place several days ago on the elk mountains about 25 miles west of verdure the fire was caused by dry lightning and when discovered by a number of stockmen stoc kmen it had gained considerable headway arming themselves alre fighting equipment obtained at gooseberry ranger station the stockmen stoc kmen lost no time in waging a tight against the flames and they were successful in confining the conflagration to an area of about two and one halt acres the fire was in a heavily timbered region and the the loss in timber was considerable due to the extreme drought and the unprecedented hot weather the fire hazard in the western forests Is extremely great As a precaution many forests in idaho have been closed to smoking and camp fires and forest officials are hopeful that by adopting these preventive methods the fire loss can be kept down during the remainder of august |