90 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



not hesitate to state that if it had not been for the heroic and efficient 

 work of the Forest ollicers, many millions of dollars' worth of public 

 and private property would have been destroyed, and probably 

 many lives would have been lost. I can not commend too highly the 

 self-sacrificing work of the local Forest ollicers, who toiled day and 

 night, week after week, risking their lives to save the Forests. 



The reports show that there were over 4,000 fires in the National 

 Forests during the season. Most of them were small and were 

 promptly extinguished by the Forest ollicers. Only about 15 per 

 cent of the fires were responsible for the great losses. These occurred 

 chiefl}^ in the inaccessible regions where they could not be reached 

 quickly because of the lack of roads and trails, or in areas inadequately 

 patrolled. The greatest damage was done by the great fire of August 

 20 in northern Idaho. Many fires were burning at that time, but 

 nearly all of them were under control, and would shortly have been 

 extinguished had it not been for a terrific hurricane which developed 

 and swept all fires beyond control. Within twenty-four hours there 

 was practically a continuous fire for a distance of over 100 miles. 



The total area burned over during the season amounts to over 

 3,000,000 acres. While accurate data have not yet been received 

 from all the Forests, it is probable that between 6 and 7 billion feet 

 of timber was killed. A portion of this can still be cut and utilized, 

 so that it will not be a total loss. The damage in money can not be 

 accurately estimated until forest surveys are made, but it will proba- 

 bly reach over $25,000,000 if both merchantable timber and young 

 growth are considered. 



The cost of fighting the fires will aggregate a little over a million 

 dollars. This is a large sum, but it represents considerably less than 

 1 per cent of the value of the property saved. 



It is to be deeply regretted that there was a large loss of life through 

 these fires. Altogether 76 persons in the employ of the Forest Service 

 were killed in fighting the fires. All of these men were temporary 

 employees. That more were not killed was due to the skill and cool- 

 ness of the forest rangers. Where relatives were found, the bodies 

 were brought out and every help possible given to the families. 

 There were 35 persons killed whose relatives could not be located. 



There were a number of men injured more or less seriously. Un- 

 fortunately the law does not permit paying the expenses of the injured 

 or their wages after they ceased their work. The hospital expenses 

 of these men were met by private subscription. The Red Cross con- 

 tributed $1,000. The remaining expenses, including expenses of 

 interment of the dead, were borne by subscriptions from the Forest 

 ofiicers and other members of the Forest Service. 



The chief causes of the fires are locomotives, lightning, carelessness 

 in burning slashings, and incendiarism. 



