1412 



A NATIONAL PLAN FOB AMERICAN FORESTRY 



from all sources have averaged about $5,400,585 for the period 

 1927-30, and reached $7,220,871 in 1931 (table 13). This wide spread 

 between actual expenditures and needs is significantly reflected by the 

 conditions in the South, where current expenditures are slightly 

 under $944,000 a year and the requirements of the job as indicated in 

 this study are more than $11,000,000; and in the Pacific Coast region 

 and the Lake region where 1931 expenditures were over half a million 

 less than the ultimate required amount. 



TABLE 13. Total present and estimated ultimate annual cost of adequate fire control 

 on areas outside national forests 



1 The costs which are for the calendar year 1931 vary considerably from average expenditures over the 

 5-year period 1926-30, upon which the per-acre costs in table 12 are figured. Nevertheless they serve to illus- 

 trate in several of the regions that "ultimate cost", or the desired annual expenditure may often be little 

 more than the unavoidable expenditure in any one year, resulting from large suppression expenditures. 



2 The increase in present expenditure over ultimate cost for the Middle Atlantic region is explained by the 

 occurrence of an unusually bad fire season in 1931 , calling for greater than average suppression costs. Refer- 

 ence to table 12 will make it clear that ultimate costs are reckoned as at least one fifth higher per acre than 

 average present costs. 



3 Based on the supposition that the total areas given in table 4 is to be given protection. 



Expenditures during the fiscal year 1932 in areas outside the national 

 forests were shared by the private owners of land, the Federal Govern- 

 ment (through the Clarke-McNary Act), and the States in approx- 

 imately the following proportions: by private owners, 18 percent; by 

 the Federal Government, 26 percent; and the remainder, or 56 percent, 

 by the States. 



THE IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL PROGRAM 

 OUTSIDE NATIONAL FORESTS 



The basic steps in a fire-control program have been discussed. If 

 forests and watersheds are to be made reasonably safe against further 

 ravages of uncontrolled fires, and if the required objectives in fire 

 control are to be reached within reasonable time, honest recognition 

 must be given to the fact that more money is needed for the job. 



Total and present expenditures for areas outside the national 

 forests, as given in table 13, indicate the need of greatly increased 

 fire control expenditures in order to bring fire losses down to an accept- 

 able figure. All participating agencies, Federal, State, and private, 

 should contribute more than at present and the total should be in- 

 creased as rapidly as the funds can be used efficiently. The Federal 

 appropriation for the fiscal year 1933 is only $1,611,580 although the 

 Clarke-McNary Act authorizes an annual appropriation of $2,500,000 

 for this purpose. Further discussion of principles and policies which 



