Protection of the Yellowstone Park 



then at work, as It is certain they have been 

 since. Camping parties are many of them from 

 cities, and they know little, and care less, 

 about the devastation a forest fire may create. 

 They leave a small and apparently harmless 

 bunch of coals where their camp fire was ; 

 after they have passed on, a wind springs up, 

 fans the embers into flame, the dry pine nee- 

 dles are kindled, and at once the forest is 

 ablaze, and no power on earth can put it out. 

 When once the flame reaches the tree tops, if 

 the wind be strong, a man on horseback can 

 scarce escape before it. As the wind ceases 

 the fire quiets down, only to spring up again 

 next day on the appearance of the afternoon 

 breeze. The only time to fight the fire is 

 when the wind has gone down and the flames 

 have ceased. Then water poured on smoul- 

 dering logs, earth thrown on unextinguished 

 stumps, and the clearing of a path before the 

 line of fire in the carpet of pine needles are 

 the effective means of extinguishment. After 

 a fire is once got under control it is no unusual 

 thing for it to reappear 5CK) yards from any 

 of its previous lines, carried there as a spark 

 through the air, and dropped in the resinous 

 tinder ever ready to receive and spread it. 



391 



