198 FORESTS AND MANKIND 



financed. The Forest Service puts fire suppression before all 

 other duties. Every forest officer knows that on sighting fire he 

 is to drop whatever he has been doing and fight fire until it is 

 out, or until he is relieved. Throughout the National Forests, 

 fire lookouts are established on the high points of vantage 

 and there during the season of dry weather all the country is 

 watched for telltale signs of smoke. Once seen these smokes 

 are located on especially prepared fire maps, and their location 

 at once telephoned to the nearest ranger or guard. It is his duty 

 to leave immediately for the fire. 



Usually fires are fought by cutting a line in front of them and 

 digging a trench down to the mineral soil in front of the flames. 

 Once they reach the trench, fires have no more fuel to feed on 

 and go out. But it is not always so simple. Frequently fires will 

 jump across the best fire lines that man can make and under 

 heavy winds sparks from crown fires have been known to leap 

 across great distances and start fires far in the rear of the 

 fighters. In certain regions notably in Canada and our Pacific 

 Coast airplanes patrol the forest in search of fire and often aid 

 by giving forest officers a bird's eye view of large fires during 

 the battle. 



The usefulness of airplanes for fire detection varies with 

 the locality. It will probably never supplant the stationary 

 lookout or fire tower, but will serve as an added means of 

 detection. 



Above all other weapons in the long fight against forest 

 fires, roads and trails stand out as all-important. It does little 

 good to detect a fire immediately if days must elapse before 

 fire fighters can reach it. Recognizing this, foresters are build- 

 ing roads and trails into the regions of greatest fire danger, 



