FIRE CONDITIONS IN CALIFORNIA 



893 



a general tax levy, and in case the 

 county does share the expense it is 

 not at all unlikely that the State of 

 California will become a partner in the 

 work. A precedent for state coopera- 

 tion has already been established in 

 the admirable fire prevention organiza- 

 tion of Los Angeles County. Moreover, 

 the systematic protection of Tamalpais 

 is much more than a local matter; it 

 concerns both the state and the nation. 

 The methods of fire prevention were 



entirely successful during the dry season 

 of 1914. Only eight fires occurred, and 

 these were all in the grass country of 

 the foot-hills, burning over but a few 

 acres in each case. They were promptly 

 tackled by the organized fire fighting 

 forces and extinguished with practically 

 no losses. Of covirse some fires must be 

 expected in the future; but they should 

 be limited to comparatively small areas 

 and should be squelched without a 

 rumpus. 



FIRE CONDITIONS IN CALIFORNIA 



By Alexander W. Dodge, Deputy State Forester 



FIRE conditions in California dur- 

 ing the past stmimcr have not pre- 

 sented a problem as difficult as the 

 one dealt with in 1913. The fire 

 season of 1913 was exceptionally severe; 

 a great many large fires occasioned an 

 enonnous loss, namely $511,077.00, an 

 amomit far in excess of the financial less 

 sustained during 1914. The total 

 monev loss, due to forest fires in Cali- 

 fornia in 1914 is $179,025.75. Fires 

 have been well reported on the National 

 Forests and the United States Forest 

 Service has devoted special attention 

 to the prevention and suppression of 

 forest fires this year. However, since a 

 great many fires without the National 

 Forests have occurred and have not been 

 reported, owing to the inefficient system 

 of voluntary fire-wardens, it is impos- 

 sible to secure an accurate total. The 

 figures of loss, then, during 1914, are 

 necessarily incomplete for areas outside 

 the National Forests. 



During the year there have been 

 comparatively few heavy winds, such as 

 marked the siimmer months of 1913. 

 Although the vegetation became dry, 

 the atmosphere has been exceptionally 

 cool and moist during the greater part 

 of the simimer. This, naturally, had 

 its fortunate effect upon the number and 

 seriousness of forest fires. The Federal 

 Forest Service has given the fire situa- 

 tion added consideration by maintaining 

 extra fire patrols and forest guards. 

 The State Forester, so far as his limita- 



tions would permit, has made every 

 effort to reduce the fire damage by 

 making forest fire prevention popiilar. 

 There has been rigid prosecution of 

 offenders against the State and Federal 

 forest laws. Throughout the summer 

 it has been proved that the damage 

 actually done has been small in com- 

 parison to the damage averted. The 

 Sisson fire was controlled at an expense 

 to the Forest Service of about $25,000.00. 

 However, a great many thousand dollars 

 worth of property would undoubtedly 

 have been destroyed had the fire not 

 been fought. Our inadequate state 

 forest law handicaps the State Forester 

 in handling just such fires. 



There were 1,971 forest fires reported 

 in 1913 mthin the State, while the 

 incomplete report for 1914 shows 1,330. 

 Forest fires, since January, 1913, have 

 caused the loss of four human lives in 

 California. 



Forest fire conditions, outside the 

 National Forests, are going to remain 

 approximately the same, modified slight- 

 ly each year by favorable or unfavorable 

 weather conditions, until the State 

 establishes and maintains an adequate 

 protective policy. And this can be 

 done only through proper legislation. 

 The attempt to secure such legislation 

 is constantly being made by promoters 

 of an effective state forest law. In the 

 past these efforts have been defeated by 

 oiDposition based largely upon selfishness. 



