Governor Denies National Guardsmen to Fight Forest Fires; Says Forest Wardens Need to Call Up Local Men, May 5, 1926

Urge Aid in Fighting Great Forest Fires. . . Forest Wardens Empowered to Summon Every Able-Bodied Man Between 18 and 45

Raleigh, May 5—Request that two companies of National Guardsmen be called out immediately to help fight forest fires now raging on Grandfather Mountain and in the national forest reserve in Caldwell and Watauga counties, near Blowing rock, was received by Gov. A.W. McLean late Tuesday afternoon from F.H. Coffey of Lenoir.

Gov. McLean immediately wired Mr. Coffey that he was without authority to order out national guardsmen to fight forest fires, but that forest wardens were empowered to summon every able-bodied man in that territory between the ages of 18 and 45 to help fight forest fires and to commandeer horses or property needed, according to section 6,137, Act of 1919.

“Under the provisions of this act, forest wardens have at their call much more man power than if only a few military companies were to be called out,” the governor explained, “as all the able bodied men in the territory under their jurisdiction are immediately at their command. All that is necessary is to serve a summons on the men needed and they must report from duty and respond to orders.”

The state is doing everything that can be done to relieve the situation in the areas where the forest fires are now raging, and the forestry department as well as other associated departments are cooperating in every way to check the advance of the flames. Forest wardens in the fire areas have been authorized to take whatever steps they deemed necessary to check the spread of the fires. Aside from the assistance being given through regular channels, nothing new is being contemplated, the governor stated.

The lack of rain in the mountainous and heavily wooded areas, together with the heavy growth of resinous timber and the unusually low humidity prevailing, have hindered the fire fighters in controlling the situation.

From the front page of The Concord Daily Tribune, May 5, 1926.

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-05-05/ed-1/seq-1/

Gov. McLean was serious about not spending a penny more than absolutely necessary, but I wonder if his failure to call up national guardsmen to help with forest fires was one of the reasons he didn't get to serve a second term. The Forest Warden had already called up the Boy Scouts and school boys. But this is just speculation on my part.