PROTECTION OF FORESTS FROM FIRE 293 



V. Most of the National Forests of the West are in 

 rugged mountain regions, with comparatively few roads 

 and trails. The guards usually travel on horseback over 

 certain roads or trails, keeping track of the people who 

 enter the Forest, and giving them special warning regard- 

 ing carelessness with fire. In this way each person enter- 

 ing the Forest is impressed with the fact that his move- 

 ments are watched, and the result is that he is more 

 careful with camp-fires, smoking, etc. 



On large tracts patrol is concentrated at critical points. 

 The guards spend the most time where there is the great- 

 est travel, frequently inspecting camp-grounds, sawmills, 

 and other points where fires are most likely to start. 



In some instances the actual patrol over trails is more 

 or less dispensed with, and men are kept continuously at 

 lookout stations, from which a large area can be over- 

 looked. In case of fire, signals are sent to other lookout 

 stations and to headquarters, with the necessary instruc- 

 tions regarding the location of the fire, the number of 

 men needed to fight it, etc. 



It is impossible to give a specific rule regarding the 

 number of men required to protect tracts of different 

 sizes. There is no question that the National Forests 

 are very much undermanned. In some cases a single 

 man has the responsibility of protecting more than 100,- 

 000 acres. This area is much too large even under the 

 most favorable conditions. Even with proper facilities 

 for communication, the fire protection force on the 

 National Forests should be quadrupled. Very good 



