TIMBEELAND PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION 667 



eflBciency at least expense and particularly is there the greatest advance in 

 law-making, law-enforcing, and public sentiment generally. 



It is an up-hill task at best to prevent the appalling mistreatment of 

 American forests. Friction among those who are trying to prevent it is ex- 

 pensive folly and it comes from misunderstanding. Misunderstanding comes 

 from lack of acquaintance. The real desire of public, lumberman, state and 

 government is the same. The forest fire problem will be quickest solved where 

 law and policy are for associating in organization and expenditure the gov- 

 ernment, the state and the forest owner. 



TIMBERLAND PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATIONS 



By E. a. STERLING. 



Vw^HEN the smoke of each forest fire season has blown away, we amuse 

 \l/ ourselves bj' aimless guesses as to the property loss, take a few pictures 

 ^^ of the blackened landscape, and wonder if it will be wet enough next 

 year to prevent the destruction which our own feeble, human efforts seem pow- 

 erless to stay. About this time of the year the autumn forest fire season will 

 be on in the East; while in the West the summing up of the year's achieve- 

 ments and the stock taking of the damage done will be under way. 



Sweeping back the sea with a broom would be child's play compared to 

 controlling forest fires during a bad season with the pitifully inadequate fa- 

 cilities which have been available. States with forest property assessed at a 

 hundred million dollars have in their munificence appi'opriated as much as 

 $10, (too a year for fire protection, and then wondered why their burning 

 wealth cast a pall of smoke over the country for weeks. With an insurance 

 rate of one-hundredth of a cent on the dollar, some of the worst-burned states 

 have gotten just about their money's worth. Some of the states are now more 

 liberal, and with their awakening comes renewed hope; but the states are not 

 aloue responsible for the fire havoc which has been permitted to be wrought. 



To try to tell of the various reasons why our forest fire losses have aver- 

 aged the value of a battleship a mouth for many years would make a long, sad 

 story. Like many sad stories, however, it promises to have a happy ending, 

 and in this we will find pleasure. 



This year, next year, and for many years, climatic conditions will largely 

 determine whether the fire season has been a disastrous one. Each year, how- 

 evei", with the progress now being made, the weather will become a less potent 

 factor, and in the exact proportion in which the human agencies triumph over 

 the natural can be reckoned our control of forest fires. 



Forest fire protection is now the chief end and aim of three active forces: 

 the Forest Service, the states, and the fire protective associations of the tim- 

 berland owners. Another less definite influence is that of public sentiment, 

 ■which is slowly assuming an attitude of antagonism toward forest fires. Each 

 of these agencies is becoming efficient in itself, and all are working together 

 when co-operation furthers their mutual interests. 



The timberland owners were the last to organize, although their need 

 was perhaps greatest. Now that they have found the way, remarkable prog- 

 ress is being made, and it is this work that will be briefly outlined here. 



