FORESTRY QUARTERLY 



Vol. XL] March, 1913. [No. i. 



ERIC OUTLOOK SYSTEM. 

 By F. B. Knapp, 



The old adage, "In time of peace, prepare for war," was never 

 more applicable than in the various phases of the fight to pre- 

 vent the loss by forest fires. 



Though still in its infancy, scientific fire fighting is making 

 rapid progress in organization, equipment, and methods, prepara- 

 tion being made in advance. 



While much has already been done in the attempt to reduce the 

 number of fires started the forester is very much handicapped, 

 even when he has funds, by the lack of satisfactory laws, the 

 unwillingness of the local authorities to enforce those we have, 

 and, above all, the disregard of the laws and rights of others by 

 the public and lack of a feeling of personal responsibility of the 

 individual. At best, it will take much hard work to bring about 

 reasonable care, and even then we must still be ready for some 

 unavoidable fires. 



On the other hand, with a moderate appropriation, much can 

 be done at once to prepare for quick detection of fires and prompt 

 notification of the wardens. 



Two methods are in use for this purpose, the patrol and the 

 lookout station. The patrolman is a great help in the preven- 

 tion of fires by both the warnings and instruction he gives to 

 persons who might start them and by the fear of detection which 

 he inspires in careless and malicious persons ; but, in general, he 

 is not in position to discover a fire quickly or to give a prompt 

 alarm. For, in a well wooded district, the trails which he must 

 watch are apt to be under the forest cover from which for con- 

 siderable times he has only an exceedingly restricted view. And 

 even where his route is on ridges, he is often little better off ; when 

 having discovered one fire, his duty prevents him from watching 



