NEWS AND NOTES. 



The Forestry Branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway has 

 assigned three men to handle fire inspection work for the Com- 

 pany on its lines in British Columbia, and three additional men 

 on its Eastern lines, in Ontario, Quebec, Maine and New Bruns- 

 wick. These men not only investigate fires which may occur, for 

 the purpose of collecting information to be used in claims cases, 

 but, what is more important, they help to prevent the occurrence 

 and spread of fire by personally meeting section-men and other 

 regular employees of the Company and making sure that the men 

 are fully informed regarding the very strict instructions issued by 

 the General Manager relative to the reporting and extinguishing, 

 by railway employees, of fires occurring along rights of way. 

 These inspectors also assist the Operating Department in securing 

 efficient action in connection with the requirements of the Rail- 

 way Commission relative to the maintenance of special patrols in 

 forest sections, and the removal of inflammable debris from the 

 Company's right of way. Under this method of organization, 

 much better results are to be anticipated than was previously the 

 case. 



The spread of the co-operative idea in forest fire protection is 

 evidenced by the recent organization of the Lower Ottawa For- 

 est Protective Association, Ltd. This Association represents 

 nearly 10,000 square miles or over six and a quarter million 

 acres of timber lands on the watersheds of the Gatineau, Lievre, 

 Rouge, Coulonge, Nation and Devils rivers in the province of 

 Quebec, l^e staflf will comprise a manager, three inspectors and 

 about 50 rangers. The headquarters of the Association will be at 

 Ottawa. In order to co-ordinate the efiforts of all the agencies 

 interested in protecting this region from fire, the manager of the 

 Association has been appointed an officer of the Forest Protection 

 Branch of Quebec, as well as of the Fire Inspection Department 

 of the Dominion Railway Commission. A close co-operation 

 with the settlers and with the railways operating in this territory 

 is also proposed, in order to reduce the fire hazard as much as 

 possible. 



