190 OUR USE OF THE LAND 



on, chickens went to roost, motors crept along the roads 

 though miles away from the fire. Enormous clouds of smoke 

 rose to an estimated height of 40,000, feet and billowed west 

 over the Pacific Ocean. Ashes and cinders fell two inches thick 

 along the coast and on the beach. The loss of wild life was 

 appalling many charred bodies of deer were found, in most 

 cases lying with their heads pointed toward the west as they 

 ran to escape the racing inferno." 6 



In spite of the most extensive precautions, fires still sweep 

 through the forests. In the summer of 1938 this story appeared 

 in newspapers. 



"Cooler weather and diminishing winds brought encourage 

 ment to thousands fighting some 350 fires in Washington and 

 Oregon. Fires in the coastal area were being subdued gradually 

 but C. H. Hunnter, forest service warehouse manager at 

 Spokane, described conditions in eastern Washington and 

 northern Idaho as a "nightmare/ Smoke was so dense, he said, 

 lookouts were unable to spot new fires, twelve of which were 

 reported in Washington. 



"Fifteen hundred men, aided by airplanes, fought two fires 

 in northern California forests. 



"The worst blaze advanced along a twelve-mile front in the 

 Klamath National Forest. 



"Another fire flared out of control in the Trinity Forest. 

 Six hundred men fought this blaze. 



"Airplanes performed scouting duty and brought food to 

 men in the rough mountain sections." 7 



The Civilian Conservation Corps has helped to solve the 

 problem of fires set by the people who hope to be hired to put 

 them out. There was nothing to be gained if only Civilian Con 

 servation Corps boys were going to fight the fires. 



The Forest Service has developed elaborate methods of fire 

 control. In the lumber regions, particularly those of the Pacific 



6 Great Forest Fires of America, p. 10. 



7 Neu; Yor\ Times, Associated Press Dispatch, July 23, 1938. 



