p 



One five-day introductory course was conducted for 12 field 

 supervisory staff on "Synoptic Scale Weather Phenomenon". 

 The course was designed to familiarize personnel with 

 weather phenomena as they are related to lofcal fire 

 conditions. 



A training film was produced during 1966 covering the sett- 

 ing up of motor pumps and handling of hose by nozzle 

 crews. 



The preparation of a programmed learning booklet on the 

 subject of "Fire Behaviour" was initiated during the latter 

 part of 1%6. This approach to training allows each person 

 to learn at his own individual rate. Further applications of 

 this technique will be considered after the initial effort is 

 fully tested and assessed. 

 EQUIPMENT 



During 1966, a combination sferics-radar system was used 

 to plot lightning storm movement in northwestern Ontario. 

 The objective was to delineate areas requiring intensified 

 detection coverage. Results were encouraging and evalua- 

 tion work with a full-time summer student and an improved 

 sferics installation will be continued during 1967. This study 

 will be tied in closely with evaluation work on airborne 

 infrared detection equipment. 

 AIR OPERATIONS 



The water bombing systems, designed late in 1965 for the 

 Department by Field Aviation, is now completely operational. 

 The system was designed to give the option of using plain 

 water or "Gelgard" additive. Several Otters, equipped with 

 the system, operated during the 1966 fire season and were 

 very successful in their water drop operations. Test pattern 

 analysis carried out by the National Research Council, 

 Flight Research Section and Department of Lands and 

 Forests personnel indicate a pattern of approximately 165 x 

 25 feet with a concentration of 5.2 gallons per 100 s.f. or an 

 average of 0.1" over the pattern. Recovery was 75 per cent, 

 which compares favourably with previous tests. 

 At the present time, a similar system is being produced for 

 use in Turbo-Beaver aircraft and it is expected that 10 Otter 

 and 15 Turbo-Beaver aircraft will be operational by the 

 Spring of 1967. In addition, an integral float system will be 

 developed and installed in a Twin Otter aircraft in 1967. 

 The anticipated maximum load is about 400 gallons. This 

 development greatly improves the performance of the 

 smaller water bombing aircraft and eliminates the special 

 water tanks that were formerly required. 

 An air operations study has been initiated to provide guide- 

 lines to the present and long term development of the Air 

 Service. The type of aircraft, numbers, mix, deployment and 

 management will be considered in the study. 

 PRESCRIBED BURNING 



21 prescribed burns were carried out in 1966, covering a 

 total of 4,535 acres. 19 of these burns were carried out in 

 conifer logging slash. The object of the majority of the 

 burns was to prepare the sites for planting, and at the same 

 time reduce the hazard by the elimination of slash. One 

 burn was carried out to prepare seedbeds for natural 

 regeneration and three were conducted to eliminate fire 

 hazards. Two experimental burns irr hardwood were carried 

 out as part of a continuing hardwood regeneration project. 

 GENERAL DEVELOPMENTS 



The provincial nozzle crew competition was held again in 

 1966 with much enthusiasm shown by field staff. This year's 

 award was won by a crew from White River district. 



Forest Pest Control 



SURVEYS 



Each year this Department participates in the Ontario 

 portion of the Canada-wide forest insect and disease survey 

 of the Federal Government. Detailed information concerning 

 the occurrence and distribution of specific insects and 

 diseases is contained in the survey's annual report. Atten- 

 tion is drawn here to a few well-known pests of special 

 interest. 



For the third consecutive year, there have not been any 

 serious spruce budworm infestations in Ontario, although 

 the insect was found without difficulty in many locations. 

 A few scattered light infestations occurred across northern 

 Ontario, and the moderately heavy infestation of long 

 standing in a white spruce plantation in the Uxbridge Forest 

 persisted in 1%6. 



The jack pine budworm, a close relative of the spruce bud- 

 worm, which has not been a serious problem in Ontario for 

 almost 30 years, occurred in epidemic numbers in 1966 in 

 the western part of the Kenora and Fort Frances Districts, 

 and at scattered locations as far east as Manitoulin Island. 

 This insect has caused noticeable defoliation in parts of 

 northwestern Ontario for the past few years, but the 

 increases in 1966 may be more significant. 

 The most spectacular insect in many parts of Ontario's 

 forest for the past five years has been the forest tent cater- 

 pillar. In 1966, this insect declined in Ontario as a whole. 

 Partly as a result of unfavourable spring weather, the 

 infestation virtually collapsed in northwestern Ontario and 

 in the Kapuskasing District, where it had covered 35,000 

 square miles the previous year. In central and southern 

 Ontario, the infestation occurred in widely scattered loca- 

 tions from Sault Ste. Marie to Kemptville, and there was a 

 small increase in the total area affected. Epidemics of the 

 insect appear every 10 or 12 years, but very little permanent 

 damage is done to the deciduous trees. 

 Populations of the larch sawfly continued to increase in 

 northern Ontario and to decline in the northeastern and 

 southern portions of the Province. In keeping with rising 

 populations of the insects on the Prairies, defoliation was 

 most noticeable in the Kenora and Fort Frances Districts. 

 In southern Ontario, high populations of the insect were 

 confined mostly to plantations of European larch. 

 The European pine sawfly — an insect native to Europe 

 which entered Ontario via Windsor about 1940 — continued 

 to spread and increase in severity. The insect feeds princi- 

 pally on Scots, red and jack pines. During 1966, the eastern 

 boundary of its occurrence extended eastward about 10 

 miles and is now a line roughly from Waubaushene to 

 Orillia, Lindsay and to Brighton on Lake Ontario. An isolated 

 outbreak also exists in Belleville. Last year, the insect was 

 reported for the first time in Manitoulin Island. A special 

 effort is being made to control its numbers on the island in 

 order to delay spread to the mainland. 

 The most noticeable tree disease in Ontario is the Dutch 

 elm disease. The range of occurrence of the disease 

 remained as reported in 1965, but the rate of mortality in 

 elms increased greatly in many localities of southern 

 Ontario. 



For several years, young plantations of red and jack pines 

 in the Kirkwood Forest have suffered high mortality and 

 establishment of young stands has been very difficult. In 

 1962, the destructive organism responsible for this problem 

 was identified as the Scleroderris canker. High disease 

 losses attributed to this canker in several plantations, as 

 well as in the Thessalon and Swastika nurseries, prompted 

 a special effort in 1966 to determine the extent of the 

 disease in the Province. It was found to occur frequently 

 in young red and jack pine plantations in north-central and 



