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Show Forest Fire Loss Control Wins Official Praise All the folks in the Intermoun-tain Intermoun-tain Region who contributed to the 1953 forest fire prevention campaign can pop a few buttons from their collective vest, said Regional Forester C. J. Olsen today. to-day. The figures just summarized for 1953 are not less than amazing amaz-ing in view of last year's record. rec-ord. Only 27.5 per cent of all the foiest fires on the Inter-mountain's 19 national forests were man-caused this year. Last year the story wasn't so good 43.5 per cent were man-caused. "The gratifying record was ' possible," Mr. Olsen stated, "only through the combined efforts of newspapers, radio and television stations, motion picture theaters, schools, industry, business, civic groups, labor, women's and sports organizations, State 'Keep Green' and other educational programs." pro-grams." The many boys' and girls organizations or-ganizations and youth groups also made a major contribution to the fine record. On behalf of the Forest Service tiic regional forester expressed appreciation to all who worked anu contributed in time and money mo-ney to the major accomplishment. He said that savings in watershed water-shed values, flood damage and tiio tmber, range, wildlife and iccieation resources are inestimable inestim-able because of this wonderful public support. In a special campaign during the hazardous month of October with the hunting season in full swing, there were 407 newspaper articles, 1339 spot announcements by radio stations, approximately 1300 showings of fire prevention films on TV and movie theaters, 217 business and iidustry-spon-suied ads in newspapers, and 2500 posters and exhibits displayed dis-played by youth and other organizations. organ-izations. Hunters started fl fires which-bu: which-bu: tied 315 acres of forest land during the hunting season throughout the national forests of the Intermountain Region in Utah, southern Idaho, Nevada, and western Wyoming. It was estimated es-timated that there were 200,000 big game hunters this year on the 19 national forests, making about otte forest fire per 3,000 hunters. One man-caused fire is too many, Mr. Olsen concluded, conclud-ed, but with the splendid public-support public-support we have had progress is being made to stamp out man-caused man-caused forest fires. I |