246 THE PRINCIPLES OF HANDLING WOODLANDS 



In the same way there are excellent devices for arrest- 

 ing the throw of sparks from the stacks of donkey en- 

 gines and sawmills. When fires start from these sources 

 it is usually because such devices are not used at all or 

 not properly used. 



There will, of course, always be some accidental fires 

 and an occasional incendiary fire, just as in a city. In 

 certain districts also lightning will continue to be an 

 unavoidable cause of fire. The management of the for- 

 est must, therefore, be so organized that such fires as do 

 start may be extinguished as quickly as possible. 



Organization of the Forest. By organization of a 

 forest for protection is meant the establishment of such 

 conditions that the chances of a fire are reduced to a 

 minimum, and that such fires as are started may be extin- 

 guished with the minimum of damage. Among meas- 

 ures variously used to accomplish this are: 



1. The disposal of slash from logging operations. 



2. The development of roads, trails, and fire- 

 lines. 



3. The establishment of lookout stations and tele- 

 phone lines. 



4. The organization of a protective supervisory 

 and fire-fighting force. 



5. The control of insects which kill trees and cause 

 an accumulation of dead, inflammable timber. 



No one measure is sufficient for adequate fire protec- 

 tion. The disposal of dry tops and brush reduces the 

 danger from fire, but there always remains enough in- 



