FOREST PROTECTION 

 SECTION 



FOREST FIRE CONTROL 



The 1969 fire season followed the two relatively light 1967 

 and 1968 seasons. Review of the statistics show that the 

 1969 season ranks fifth in the least number of fires since the 

 inception of formal record keeping in 1917. The second 

 lowest, total acreage burned and second lowest, average 

 fire size were also recorded for the season. 



Rain occurred more often and in greater amounts than 

 normal throughout the provincial fire district. Fire danger 

 ratings did not reach high and extreme readings for ex- 

 tended periods. The over-all result was that fires which did 

 occur did not spread rapidly and, with very few exceptions, 

 did not present any control problems. Problem fires oc- 

 curred in the Northwestern Region during the last week in 

 May during one of the few periods when burning indices 

 were high to extreme. 



FOREST FIRE CAUSES AND OCCURRENCE 



A total of 901 fires burned 6,134 acres during 1969. This is 

 the least number of fires since 1954. The acres-burned total 

 is the lowest since 1959. Damages were correspondingly 

 low. 



People were responsible for 78 per cent of the fire starts. 

 These fires burned 30 per cent of the total acreage. Lightning 

 accounted for 22 per cent of the fire ignitions, burning 70 

 per cent of the total acreage. These figures compare with 

 the historic average of 80 per cent of the fires in Ontario 

 being caused by human carelessness. 



The peak occurrence period was the months of April and 

 May during which 39 per cent of the fires occurred. During 

 this period, 90 per cent of the total acreage was burned. The 

 occurrence and acres-burned are well below the 10-year 

 average of 1,326 fires and 139,621 acres. The 1969 figures 

 are also well below the previous five-year average of 1,342 

 fires and 22,683 acres. 



FOREST FIRE CONTROL OPERATIONS 



Detection. The evaluation of detection systems continued in 

 the fire districts. Seven forest districts used aircraft as the 

 primary means of detection supplemented by towers in 

 high-value areas requiring constant surveillance. This system 

 has proven effective In the study areas. 



A portable fire tower was purchased, and evaluation of 

 this equipment for detection in high-value or risk areas was 



begun. Further testing will be carried out during the 1970 

 season. 



Suppression. The fire control philosophy of early detection 

 and fast, hard hitting initial attack aided by the poor burn- 

 ing conditions, produced a provincial, average fire size of 

 6.8 acres. This average is considerably less than the pre- 

 vious 10-year average of 10.8 acres. 



Only two fires reached a final size of more than 500 acres. 

 Approximately 54 per cent of the fires were extinguished at 

 less than one-quarter acre in size. 



The basic Lands and Forests suppression force is 120 

 five-, or seven-man-unit crews supported by thirty-eight 

 fire bombing aircraft. This force took initial action on 641 

 fires this season. Municipal groups, organized under the fire 

 warden system, handled 119 fires. The general public took 

 initial action on 128 fires with the remaining 13 taken care 

 of by timber licensees or other agencies. 



Fire bombing aircraft were successful on many fires. They 

 provided the initial attack on 61 fires and supported the 

 action of ground crews on a great proportion of the fires. 

 The initial attack capability of these aircraft make it pos- 

 sible to effectively hold a fire until ground crews can begin 

 to work on the fi.re edge. 



FIRE CONTROLTRAINING 



Fire Suppression Course I was held on a Regional level again 

 this year. Sixty-three personnel successfully completed the 

 course this year, bringing the total number of graduates to 

 444 since 1962 when this course was first offered. 



Fire Suppression Course 2, a course in advanced fire be- 

 havior, organization and management, was organized and 

 presented to senior fire control personnel in the Province. 

 A total of thirty-three people, consisting of forest protec- 

 tion supervisors, fire control officers, chief rangers and head 

 office operating personnel, successfully completed the 

 course. Plans are being made to expose more fire control 

 personnel to the course next year. 



The portable fire simulator, designed and built by Lands 

 and Forests staff, was introduced to the personnel attending 

 Fire Suppression Course 2. Four programs were presented 

 to the candidates in the first use of this training aid for 

 course work. Arrangements are being made to acquire two 

 more portable simulators and continue the development of 

 the present one during the 1970-71 fiscal year. 



Staff attended courses in the United States in fire man- 

 agement, and one man attended a three-week course in air- 

 craft management in fire control sponsored by the United 

 States Forest Service. 



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