Wartime Forest Fire Prevention Campaign

Renewal of the frontal attack on one of the most insidious enemies within the nation's borders-man-made forest fires-is announced by the Federal Forest Service and the Association of State Foresters.

Following a plan prepared by the Advertising Council's talent pool, of which R. Z. Eller of the California Fruit Growers Exchange is Coordinator, the nation-wide forest fire prevention drive for 1943 will point out that timber is listed as a critical war material; that fighting forest and woodland fires diverts manpower-7,760,W man-hours of it-from industries and farms each year; and that smoke from forest and woodland fires interferes with the training of pilots and invites attacks by Nazi and Jap subs.

"Yet," the announcement adds, "we continue to have up to 220,ffi forest fires each year;90/o of them continue to be man-made; 30/o of them are still caused by careless smokers and campers ; and 4O/o of them still spread from fires started for such purposes as clearing plow land and burning bruh, debris, and logging slash."

Outdoor displays and hundreds of thousands of smaller 4-color posters will spotlight the fire peril in areas adjacent to forests and farm woodlands. Other campaign material-including envelope stuffers, book-marks, and 16 mm movie trailers-may be secured from or through State Foresters or the Federal Forest Service about the time the forest fire seasons start in each major forest region, according to forestry officials.

Emphasizing Secretary of Agriculture Claude R. Wickard's statement that "tJntil we smash the Axis forest fires are enemy fires," and calling attention to the campaign's slogan "Our Carelessness-Their Secret Weapon"; these offiicials join in the following appeal-

"NEVER USE FIRE to clear plow land, burn debris or logging slash, etc., without a permit if State laws require one; without scraping or plowing around for safety; without help handy.

"STOP TO SMOKE in safe place during dry weather. Observe the rules in areas closed to smoking.

"BE SURE matches, cigarettes, and pipe ashes are cold before throwing them away; that campfires are dead before leaving them.

"KILL small fires, REPORT OTHERS immediately to the nearest ranger or State fire warden.

"HELP on the home front to WIN THE WAR by preventing forest, grass, and brush fires."

Title I and Title Vl Extended

President Roosevelt has signed the act amending Title I and Title VI of the National Housing Act effective immediately authorizing $400,000,000 additional war housing insurance and extending both Title I and Title VI to July 1, 1944. Federal Housing Administration offices were authorized to resume the issuance of commitments on cases heretofore or hereafter Drocessed.