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Show Utah Foreist Fire Rate High Utah averages 267 forest fires and burns 36 thousand acres of timberland annually, according to an analysis of forest protection protec-tion in the United States- just published by the American Forest For-est Products Industries, Inc. The average forest fire in this state burns 128 acres. ' Based on U. S. Forest Service statistics, the analysis compares latest available figures with five year averages in the 47 timber producing states. It urges increased in-creased effectiveness of forest protection and blames public apathy for nine out of ten fires. Chief Forester Charles A. Gil-lett Gil-lett of the forestry organization, commenting on the report, described de-scribed it as "designed to help create a public consciousness of the need for reducing forest fires to a minimum." Public Support Necessary "If we are to stop the needless need-less destruction of our forest resource," the forester stated, "we must provide some form of offensive protection for all the lands.. We must also muster public support squarely behind the agencies charged with forest for-est protection in this state." The forester lauded the work of the Keep Utah Green program, pro-gram, recently inaugurated in this state, as a "major factor In increasing public understanding of forest values." "In states where this movement move-ment has been active," Gillett said, "it has been credited with a substantial reduction in fires traceable -tohuinanncansesrTHis is important since records show that nine out of ten fires are caused by human carelessnes and ignorance." |
