Pore5f Pires. 



THE reports from the town Firewardens show that i i6 fires occurred in the 

 Adirondack and Catskiil counties during the year ending September 30, 

 1896, and that the average amount burned at each fire was about 257 acres. 

 The total area thus damaged is reported at 29,817 acres. This amount seems large; 

 but the reports show that much of this territory was waste land. The total damage, 

 as estimated, amounts to $35,640. Less than two per cent, of the acreage burned 

 over was in the Forest Preserve. 



Although, in many instances, the Firewarden did not report the cause of the fire, 

 it is e\'ident, from those who did so report, that most of the fires were caused by 

 farmers who were clearing land. 



The month of May, 1896, was unusually dry. The drought commenced in April, 

 and extended late into the next month. The ground being dry, and rain expected 

 hourly, the farmers apparently took ad\-antage of the weather to clear some of their 

 land b\- burning brush, stumps, etc., usuall_\- termed "fallow burning." 



Many times, instead of raining, a high wind would spring up, and the fire would 

 soon be beyond control. The number of fires in this month was eighty-four, being 

 two-thirds of the whole number for the year. 



Many of the Firewardens neglected to report the means employed to extinguish 

 fires ; but it appears that the most effectual method used was, to dig a trench around 

 the fire, or, when in the forest, to " back fire " — that is, to burn over a strip of land in 

 advance of the flames. An effectual way also reported, in some cases, was to scrape 

 or sweep away the leaves in front of a fire, thus depriving it of fuel. This, in con- 

 nection with the use of whips made of green bushes, proved a very good method in 

 some cases. It is presumed that in many instances where the means employed is not 

 reported, that the fire was put out by rain. 



The following is a summary by counties of the fires reported : 



