196 FORESTS AND MANKIND 



There are three distinct kinds of forest fires. Those that run 

 along the surface of the ground are by far the most common. 

 They are known as surface fires and vary widely in intensity, 

 depending on the strength of the wind and the condition of 

 the forest floor. Sometimes they burn fiercely about the base 

 of the larger trees, killing many, injuring others, and almost 

 always consuming the seedlings and small saplings. Where the 

 forest is more open and the surface litter sparse, the fire licks 

 its way over the ground doing little more than scorching the 

 bark of the larger trees and killing the younger seedlings. 



Another, and much more destructive type, is the crown fire. 

 Fortunately they are far less numerous and are usually caused 

 by strong winds whipping the flames of a surface fire into the 

 tree tops, where they roar through the forest canopy leaping 

 rivers and canyons, scattering sparks for miles about their 

 paths. They are particularly prevalent in forests whose trees 

 are close spaced and have branches extending to the ground. 



A crown fire with a high wind behind it can cover great 

 areas at incredible speed. Everything in its path, tree, animal, 

 ranch or village is doomed. It is the crown fire that causes the 

 greatest loss of human life. / 



They are almost impossible to fight and during the periods 

 of hot dry winds that often last for days in the western States 

 crown fires burn sometimes until the smoke darkens the sun- 

 light as far east as the Atlantic Coast. Such fires sweep whole 

 mountain sides in a morning and by evening are devouring 

 forests twenty miles away. They burn with so hot a flame that 

 no living thing remains in the region they have devastated. 

 The West is scarred with the havoc of these destructive crown 

 fires. 



