The Cispus Burn. 107 



ment. They have but a nominal value. The prospector's cabin 

 would not be in danger for he set fire out around it in the spring 

 of 1912. The improvements on the Hsted homestead consist only 

 of a shack which could be replaced for $50. But the advantage 

 of a fire as a help in clearing the land would so greatly exceed the 

 value of the shack that the homesteader's permission could be 

 secured free of charge. These holdings are all in the valley. 

 The mining property is situated at an altitude of 3,200 feet and 

 the dead timber around it has been cleared away to a large extent, 

 besides there has been a second fire over the property and there 

 would be small risk of destroying it. It is quite likely the miner's 

 consent could be had. The plan depends upon the bolt camp re- 

 suming and logging the cedar on the patented land. If the bolt 

 camp does not resume then the only alternative is to purchase 

 the cedar on the patented land or pay an indemnity for the dam- 

 age. While this would be highly profitable to the Government 

 from a financial standpoint, it would be as a matter of policy 

 out of the question. In addition to these private holdings there 

 is a ranger cabin on the sale area worth $150. This could be 

 protected. There is also perhaps 10,000 cords of cedar shingle 

 bolts scattered over the bottom land but this cedar is so scattering 

 and the cost of logging so high that it could not be sold. The re- 

 mainder of the dead timber is not merchantable. 



It is possible to fire this burn and keep the fire in control and 

 direct its course to a large degree so that it will be confined to 

 serve the purpose and at the same time do no damage excepting 

 to the cedar and fences on the patented land and camp buildings 

 on the sale area. To accomplish this every advantage must be 

 taken of wind, weather and natural barriers. It is not practical 

 to build fire lines there because of the prohibitive cost in such a 

 jungle. The fire could be started at the end of summer after 

 the first few rains of fall. The weather always becomes stormy 

 in the high mountains first, so the fir season ends several weeks 

 earlier in the highlands, than in the lowlands. This is an im- 

 portant fact, for by the time there has been enough rainfall in 

 the valley to prevent fire from running too freely, there has been 

 sufficient rainfall in the mountains to prevent it entirely. So 

 there would be no possibility of the fire sweeping up the moun- 

 tain sides into the Upper Slope type. It is when fire can get 

 such a run up hill that strong drafts are created which drive it 



