502 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



As shown under tho section of this rejiort dealing with permanent 

 improvements, the mileage of trails and telephone lines was largely 

 increased during the liscal year r.)12, and a considerable number of 

 lookout stations were established and equipped. These improvements 

 directl}' increase the efficiency of fire protection and fire suppression. 



Special attention was given to the equipment of lookout stations, 

 since it is obviously of the utmost importance that the location of 

 a fire be reported and the fire reached at the earliest possible moment. 

 These stations are equipped with specially prepared protractors 

 and with alidades, and as rapidly as possible are being supplied with 

 suitable maps. The protractors and maps are oriented, and as soon 

 a^ smoke is discovered its direction is determined Avith an alidade, 

 and its exact location is found by the intersection of sights from two 

 or more stations. If the condition of the atmosphere is favorable 

 the sight from one station is usually sufficient, since the man on 

 duty is familiar enough with the countr^'^ within range to describe 

 the exact location of the fire. 



Feld glasses and high-power prism binoculars are used at many 

 of the stations. Experiments are being made to determine if the 

 installation of special equipment will increase the efficiency of some 

 of the higher and more important stations, and it is probable that in 

 many locations sj^ecial instruments, especially telescopes, will result 

 in a saving of time in giving the alarm. 



The locating of fires by triangulation methods has proved very 

 successful. Obviously, however, this plan can not be used except 

 in those forests having more than one lookout point connected by 

 telephone. As rapidly as possible the lookout points have been put 

 in telephone communication and this work is being vigorously ex- 

 tended. In the Arkansas and Ozark National Forests, for instance, 

 where, largel}^ because of topographic conditions, the need of a look- 

 out patrol system received early recognition, approximately 75 

 per cent of the area of forest land is covered by a system of lookout 

 towers connected by telephone. It was found necessary to construct 

 towers on the lookout points in order to obtain a clear vision, and 

 30- foot wooden towers or 60-foot steel towers built on the style of a 

 windmill have proved very effective. 



At some of the lookout stations heliographs have been found use- 

 ful for sending alarms of forest fires. The number in use is increas- 

 ing, since experiments show them to be part of the necessary equip- 

 ment of some stations where telephone connection is not yet estab- 

 lished. For instance, the Okanogan National Forest, in Washington, 

 has been equipped with heliograph outfits and reports from their use 

 on this forest seem to show that they will be of great benefit. 



The practical results of the lookout stations have been remark- 

 able. In many cases fires have been definitely located at distances 

 varying from 10 to 50 miles and word has been telephoned to the 

 nearest rangers, who have promptly extinguished them. Lookout 

 stations are of great value in the case of lightning fires. Sometimes 

 as many as 12 fires are started by a single electric storm. The ob- 

 server at the lookout station locates all of them and is able to direct 

 the rangers just where each fire is, so that he can assemble the nec- 

 essary force and equipment to put them out. Many instances have 

 occurred where the machinery has worked like a city fire department 

 and many thousands of dollars have been saved by the system. ^ 



