NUMEROUS FOREST FIRES 



521 



The Six Rules 



For Care with FIRE in the Mountains 



If Every Memher of the PubHc Strictlv 



Observed These Simple Rules, the 



Great Annual Loss by Forest 



Fires Would Be Reduced 



to a ]VIininiuni 



1. Be sure your match is out before 

 yiiu throw it away. 



2. Knock out your pipe ashes or throw 

 your cigar or cigarette stump where 

 there is nothing to catch fire. 



■.i. Don't build a camp fire any larger 

 than is absolutely necessary. Never 

 leave it even for a short time without 

 putting it OUT with water or earth. 



4. Don't build a camp fire against a 

 tree or a log. Build a small one where 

 you can scrape away the needles, leaves 

 or grass from all sides of it. 



.5. Don't build bonfires. The wind 

 may come up at any time and start a 

 fire you cannot control. 



(3. If you discover a fire, put it out if 

 possible; if you can't, get word of it to 

 the nearest U. S. Forest Ranger or State 

 Fire Warden just as quickly as you 

 possibly can. 



California's situation. 



Alexander W. Dodge, deputy state 

 forester of California, writes as follows 

 about the situation there. He says: 



Although the citizens of California 

 recognize the magnitude of their forest 

 wealth and its bearing upon the indus- 

 trial activities in every community, 

 there has been an evident unwillingness 

 on the part of many to realize the im- 

 portance of adequately protecting our 

 forest areas from fire. California ranks 

 third in her timber supply. There are 

 within the State vast areas of hill and 

 and valley land dependent directly upon 

 an already limited water supply. Thou- 

 sands of acres of brush and timber land 

 throughout the State serve as indis- 

 pensable regulators of stream flow and 

 each year our watersheds suffer serious 

 damage from the ravages of fire. The 

 total money damage due to forest fires 

 in California during 1913 was $511 - 

 077.00, an amount sufficient to maintain 



the State forestry department, at its 

 present annual appropriation, for 

 twenty-three years. This destruction 

 will continue until measures are adopt- 

 ed to prevent it. The citizens of Cali- 

 fornia, and of other States which have 

 similar problems to solve, must tace the 

 issue squarely and admit as positive the 

 following facts : 



1 . That forest fires do occasion a 

 \ ery great annual loss in dollars and 

 cents. 



2. That all of their industries depend 

 directly or indirectly upon the forests 

 cind streams. 



0. That they cannot afford to permit 

 die annual loss to continue. 



1. That they have not given this great 

 ];rol)lem a fair degree of attention. 



."). That there are measures and 

 means of preventing the frequent oc- 

 currence of forest fires. 



(i. That what is lost in one year is 

 sufficient to establish and maintain a 

 protective force for several years. 



7. That they should make generous 

 legislative provision for the adoption of 

 nieasures and means of protection. 



S. That sooner or later they, like 

 other countries, will be forced to pro- 

 tect their forests and perhaps grow 

 them again and, that the longer the wait 

 the greater will be the cost of protec- 

 tion and reforestation. 



9. That forest protection is a func- 

 tion of the State. 



10. That (in California especially) 

 there is a long dry season during which 

 fires start readily. 



11. That a bad example of conserva- 

 tive use has been given the present gen- 

 eration by the former one in this coun- 

 try ; that it is a dangerous example to 

 follow ; and, 



12. That forest fires will not put 

 themselves out. 



PROTECTIVK LEGISLATION 



Whatever agencies eff'ect the value of 

 land and other public commodities are 

 of public interest. There is a gradual 

 change in public sentiment as indicated 

 by attempts made to secure forest leg- 

 islation in the State. With a forest 



