FIRE THE GREAT DESTROYER 201 



ably better position to practice forestry and to plan for future 

 forests if we knew they were safe from fire. 



Nearly every forest fire could have been prevented. Only 

 two out of every hundred are caused by lightning. The other 

 ninety-eight are set intentionally or carelessly by the hand of 

 man. Sparks from lumber mills, brush burners, railroads, 

 smokers, campers, hunters these are some of the causes. 



The man-caused fire presents the chief difficulty. Govern- 

 ment and State foresters can cope with the fires set by light- 

 ning. It is the ninety-eight per cent man-caused fires that breaks 

 down their defenses and costs us millions of dollars and hun- 

 dreds of human lives. Laws imposing penalties on all who al- 

 low fire to escape are helping make people careful. Educational 

 campaigns are helping. But not until we resolve, as a nation, 

 that we will not tolerate this costly waste, can we free our- 

 selves from the fire burden. 



When that day comes, when we need no longer fear the 

 menacing threat of fire, then forestry will take a great forward 

 step. The fire hazard, more than all other obstacles, combined 

 has worked to hold back the practice of forestry. The main rea- 

 son why today planting is proceeding at such a pitifully slow 

 rate, both on and off the National Forests is because planting 

 has had to wait for better fire protection. There is no virtue 

 in planting trees unless you can prevent their burning up. If 

 fire were conquered the sums of money that could be released 

 for constructive forest measures and the added confidence that 

 it would give in the profitable outcome of forestry would make 

 this country a great timber growing nation. Foresters could 

 devote all their energies to really productive ends to actual 



