Forest Fires Do Not Pay

That the U. S. Forest Service slogan "Prevent Forest Fires-It Pays" is not simply a catchy phrase but is an actual business statement is proved by facts gathered by Federal and State foresters in a region of California that has suffered extensively from forest and brush fires, states Regional Forester S. B. Show. Hotels, cafes, filling stations and stores catering to the tourist trade in this region know all too well that forest fires do NOT pay.

The special investigation made during the fire season of 1929 showed that during a four-day period of serious brush and forest fires the registered guests at hotels fell off 88 per cent and that other business establishments suffered a 50 per'cent decrease in trade. The records indi,cate that be: ginning with the start of the fires all business dropped suddenly with a subsequent slow recovery after the fires were extinguished. This means an additional loss of trade over the figures given, which apply only to the duration of the fires.

California's summer playgrounds, located largely in the m.ountains of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range, are attracting an increasing number of vacationists every year. To meet their needs hundreds of resorts, large and small, have sprung up all over the State. The success of such ventures, as well as that of other business directly connected with recreation travel, is an important item to the welfare of many communities and to the state itself. Forest fires are a detriment to all such business, since every large fire means a general and rapid exodus of tourists from the vicinity. Summer hotel and resort managers and other business men who depend on tourist trade need only to

EARL BO\,[IE ON TRIP TO NORTHWEST

Earl Bowe, Los Angeles, Southern California repfesentative of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, left for the Northwest on Tulv 28 to attend the midsummer meeting of the directois ind trade extension committee of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association which will be held at Portland on August 7 and 8. On his way north, he visited several of the Redwood mills in Humboldt County.

check their records to prove the truth of this statement.

Fire prevention then-is to the advantage of everyone who benefiti from the tourist trade, including all organizations that are engaged in stimulating travel, iays the Regional Forester. It is highly desirable to have more people co.me to California for J vication and especially important that they be induced to spend a longer time here by keeping unimpaired our scenic, wild life, water and forest resourcesall of which may be destroyed by forest fires'

Smokers and campers are the two most prolific sou-rces of man-caused fires-started by vacationists and travelers, and finding means of holding down the number of such fires is as much the job of thoie who benefit from the tourist business as it is the job of Federal, State and county foresters. There are many means that can be employed. Filling station and hotelmen, information bureaus and local business people generally can give verbal warning against the careless throwing away of burning matches_ and tobacco, or leaving camp fires unextinguished, at all times and especially when the fire danger is unusual. They- can use slogans in advertising matter and on stationery calling attention to the necessity for forest fire prevention. Fire posters can be displayed in conspicuous places. Sticke-rs ind leaflets especially designed to help prevent fires can be distributed to-patrons. In short, they can take forest fire prevention seri,ously, and help themselves when they help prevent fires.

"The prevention of forest and brush fires," concluded MrShow, "is your business, my business, and mighty good business for the State of California."

E. A. GOODRICH RETURNS FROM ARIZONA TRIP

E. A. Goodrich, Union Lumber Co., Los Angeles, has returned from Arizona where he spent several days on business.

Recovers From Operation

Clarence Wright, of the San Anselmo Lumber Co., San Anselmo, is back on the job after being operated on for appendicitis July 3.