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farmers to burn brush or fallow land. These, as well as the intentional 

 fires, may be greatly reduced by a strong public sentiment against 

 forest fires, which would be aroused by a better understanding of their 

 results. 



The prevention of forest fires throughout the greater part of Illi- 

 nois is a comparatively easy task, since most of the forest land consists 

 of woodlots small in area and isolated by cleared land. Thus the 

 individual owner can prevent this kind of damage by a reasonable 

 amount of care in watching his lot in dry weather and by promptness in 

 putting out any fires that start. This can be accomplished much more 

 easily if the woodland is kept free from accumulations of inflammable 

 material, such as dead trees, logs, and slash. Close utilization in lum- 

 bering will reduce the amount of wood ordinarily left in the woods, 

 while lopping the tops of their side branches and scattering the debris 

 will make it rot quickly. This material might otherwise feed a de- 

 structive fire. 



Where woodlands lie in large and contiguous areas, as is the case 

 especially in the rough lands of the Ozark hills and the bluff land along 

 the larger rivers, the cooperation of owners of forest land and a good 

 system of town firewardens will form the most effective measures of 

 defense. A model fire law and a system of firewardens will be dis- 

 cussed under the heading: "A Forest Policy for the State." 



It may be necessary over such large areas to perfect a system of 

 fire lines along ridge tops and near railroads. Most of the woods in 

 the rougher parts are now well provided with woods roads and trails 

 along the ridges and valleys. Numerous instances were observed 

 where even a narrow wagon track had been the means of stopping 

 serious fires. If the existing roads were kept clear of inflammable 

 material they would form the nucleus of a very effective fire-line sys- 

 tem, and would be of great help in confining the damage to small areas 

 and in acting as lines from which to fight the fires. The good tele- 

 phone facilities of the farming districts will be a great help in notifying 

 the owners of forest land of outbreaks of fire and in assembling them 

 to fight those which are too large to be overcome by individual effort. 



In many states, notably New York and New Jersey, the railroads 

 are subject to very strict regulations in regard to fire, and are com- 

 pelled to bear the brunt of fighting fires which occur along their rights 

 of way. The railroads are often compelled to use spark arrestors and 

 other devices to prevent the escape of sparks and lighted cinders from 

 their locomotives, and to maintain patrols along their lines in dry 

 seasons. In New York certain lines running through especially dan- 

 gerous districts are required to use oil for fuel. In New Jersey they 

 are required to maintain elaborate fire-lines wherever they run through 



