OCR Text |
Show LAWS REGULATE KINDUNG FIRES Districts May Be Created by Coinnussioners in Any Watershed Wa-tershed for Protection. By BEX SWAPP, Contrary to the general assumption as-sumption of many that all protection pro-tection of trees come under the supervision of the forest service, a state law passed May 10, 1927, makes it the business of county commissioners to protect their watersheds against fires. Districts Dis-tricts may be created by designating des-ignating the boundaries and having them published in a newspaper in general circulation in the county. Setting a fire in any such district for any reason may be declared a nuisance, and the Klieriff of the county may be required re-quired to order the person setting set-ting the conflagration to attend I to Extinguishing it. Any persoil responsible for the starting or existence of any fire may be held liable for the expense involved in control, and for the recovery recov-ery of property lost. One section 'of .the law states' that any person who negligently or wilfully exposes any growing trees, shrubs, brush, grass, undergrowth un-dergrowth or cultivated crops on any lands, public or private, not his own property, to danger of destruction by fire shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. The regulations of the department depart-ment of agriculture make it a misdemeanor for leaving even a camp fire before it is completely com-pletely extinguished. |