ARBORICULTURE 



8/ 



Forest Fires and Legislation, 



EACH }ear makes an additional 

 record of disastrous fires through- 

 out the forest regions. The ap- 

 palling reports read by millions of busy 

 citizens, cause a shudder at the time, but 

 are soon forgotten and the lessons go un- 

 heeded. 



There never was a forest fire which 

 was caused by spontaneous combustion. 

 There never was a forest fire but which 

 could have been avoided had the residents 

 and campers been reasonably careful. 



The annual fires in all forest regions 

 may be prevented if proper efiforts are 

 made, suitable legislation enacted and 

 laws enforced by the strong hand of a 

 powerful government. 



Carelessness in starting fires should 

 be declared a crime, and as such punished 

 with severity. 



It would require a sum far inferior to 

 the annual losses by fires to maintain a 

 system' of rangers, under competent fire 

 wardens, and they under an able chief, 

 to suppress all fires before they are be- 

 yond control. 



It is well known that in the great forest 

 regions of the United States the destruc- 

 tion caused by fires far exceeds the quan- 

 tity used in the export trade, together 

 with the domestic consumption. 



Two hundred and fifty million dollars 

 would not cover the fire losses during the 

 past two decades. 



Several causes combined are respon- 

 sible for this remarkable conditions of 

 aftairs. 



1. The very general practice of smok- 

 ing among Americans, and extreme care- 

 lessness in disposition of lighted cigars, 

 cigarettes and matches. 



2. The indifference which exists 

 among almost all classes as to the results 

 of such fires. 



3. The practice of campers of leaving 

 inextinguished campfires through the 

 wrong impression that they cannot com- 

 .nunicate with the surrounding inflam- 

 mable materials. A brisk wind fanning 

 these embers into a blaze and carrying 

 leaves and resinous needles to these em- 



bers a fire is quickly started and distant 

 from human habitations becomes uncon- 

 trollable. 



4. Absence of fire guards and want 

 of proper precautionary measures and 

 lack of any systematic methods for fire 

 control by the national, state and local 

 governments, and by large corporations. 



5. J^'ailure on the part of railway com- 

 panies to devise means for the extinguish- 

 ment of fires which may have been 

 started by trains. 



6. Absence of statutory laws upon the 

 subject of forest fires and the neglect of 

 legislators to grasp the situation and see 

 the importance of providing such laws 

 and means for their enforcement. 



7. Encouragement of arson by the 

 United States authorities through unwise 

 rulings of the land department, whereby 

 green, standing timber will not be sold, 

 but burned trees may be purchased at a 

 low price. Fires have been started by 

 evil disposed persons to enable them to 

 secure at a nominal price what timber 

 may not have been consumed. 



8. Probably the greatest obstacle in 

 the way of forest protection is our abom- 

 inable system of state sovereignty, the na- 

 tional government having a ver\- limited 

 jurisdiction, while the various states have 

 neither the ability, will nor financial power 

 to protect the timber within its borders. 

 This, of course, is more applicable to the 

 West and South, where the greater area 

 of forest remains. Great imiM-ovement 

 is found where the United States has 

 established a system of patrols on the 

 limited forest reservations. 



PRAIRIE FIRES. 



In the early settlement of the western 

 prairies much damage was caused by the 

 annual burning of the prairie grass, 

 which was burned to stimulate a fresh 

 growth of grass and enable the herds of 

 cattle to more readily reach it. 



These fires were anticipated by the 

 more thrifty settlers and preparations 

 made for their protection. In June, 

 while the grass was green and growing. 



