FOREST SERVICE. 369 



Congress recognized the need of better protection "by increasing the 

 Forest Service appropriation for the fiscal veSiT 1912, so as to make 

 available an additional S-25,000 for permanent improvement work, 

 $135,000 for protective work and fire fighting, and in case of ex- 

 traordinar}^ emergency an additional $1,000,000. During the winter 

 and spring of 1911 a large part of the attention of the National Forest 

 force was concentrated on the study of the forest-fu-e problem, in order 

 that the highest possible state of preparedness might be reached and 

 the most effective use made both of the old appropriation and of the 

 increased appropriation available when the new year should begin. 



In the permanent improvement work the development of communi- 

 cations was given precedence over everything else. Further, to make 

 the work count for as much as possible, the most careful consideration 

 was given to the relative importance of different projects. On every 

 Forest the first question was to decide w^here the roads, trails, and 

 telephones that could be built in the summer of 1911 would be of most 

 service. There were already in existence permanent improvement 

 plans for each Forest, prepared with a view to coordinating the work 

 of successive years, so that all construction might take its proper place 

 in a general scheme. The eventual equipment of the Forest with the 

 best possible system of communications and quarters is the final object 

 of these plans; and the fact of their existence simplified the task of 

 deciding how to use to best advantage the increased appropriation for 

 permanent improvements, with special reference to immediate pro- 

 tection against fire, but without losing sight of what will in the long 

 run most effectively contribute to all kinds of use. The question as 

 to \ fiat improvements are most urgently needed for fire protection 

 was found to require, for its best answer, the preparation of special 

 plans, with a view to coordinating on each Forest all activities which 

 could contribute to keeping down the fire loss. 



These fire protection plans were made for a large number of Forests. 

 In another year they will have been made for all Forests. In pre- 

 paring them, the first step is to locate those parts of the Forest on 

 which fires are most likely to break out, and also those parts which 

 are in greatest need of protection. Thus, in certain parts the danger 

 of fires from lightning is likely to be especially great; elsewhere rail- 

 roads or lumbering operations or campers may necessitate unusual 

 vigilance; while areas on which reproduction is abundant or where 

 much inflammable material on the ground endangers a valuable 

 stand should be guarded more carefully than parts of the Forest 

 where fires will do relatively little harm. After it is known how the 

 protection should be distributed, the second step is to plan the most 

 effective means of locating and reporting fires. This includes such 

 matters as the location of watchtowers and lookout points, decision 

 as to the frecjuency of patrol and the lines which the patrolmen 

 should follow, provision for giving the alarm when a fire is discovered, 

 and similar matters. 



The third step covers the means of gathering help, getting them 

 quickly to the fire, and supplying them with tools antl food en the 

 fire line. One of the great difiiculties encountered in fighting the 

 fires of 1910 was to obtain enough capable men (juickly, and to pro- 

 vision them after they had been sent far into the woods. In making 

 fire-protection plans all possible sources of labor supply are carefully 



23165°— AGE 1911 24 



