596 



A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Figures 4 and 5 contrast the adverse factors of precipitation 

 deficiency and increased human use and incendiarism with the 

 steadily dropping curve of burned area. There are irregularities in 

 this area curve, of course. Especially bad years like 1919, 1926, 

 1929, and 1931 send it up, but each critical year leaves the protec- 

 tion forces with still greater experience, which is turned to account in 

 meeting the next crisis more successfully. 



When the Forest Service assumed the administration of the national 

 forests in 1905 there was no developed technique of forest-fire pre- 

 vention and suppression in the United States, and very scanty means 

 of action in the form of personnel, tools, and transportation and com- 

 munication facilities. A steady drive has been maintained to bring 



-SOOOi r 



i 

 



IPI 

 L 

 8 



1910 1915 



I9E5 1930 



FIGURE 4. Since 1916 there has been building up a huge deficiency in precipitation in the regions of 

 highest Sre danger. While precipitation is only one of the major factors influencing the difficulty of 

 fire control, this accumulative drying out of the forests has had a marked effect in increasing the 

 severity of the fire seasons. Despite the handicap of this 15-year drought, the fire-control campaign 

 has resulted in a down trend in area burned over. 



these up to adequacy, to educate the public in care with fire in the 

 forests, and to reduce the hazard incident to lumbering, road clear- 

 ing, land clearing, slash burning, and similar sources of risk. The 

 following indicate the character of the attack on the fire problem : 



1. Educational activities of many kinds to make forest visitors 

 more careful with fire in the woods and to build up public support of 

 fire prevention and suppression morally, legally, and financially. 

 One very tangible result has been in holding down the number of 

 man-caused forest fires w r hile the number of persons using the national 

 forests has increased many fold. 



2. Regulation of forest travelers where necessary by such means 

 as requiring camp-fire permits, concentration of camping on prepared 

 camp grounds, restriction of smoking in the woods, and requiring 

 camping parties to carry a shovel and ax for emergency fire fighting. 



