These aircraft are also used on projects carried out by other Branches of 

 the Department when fire danger conditions permit. 



New Developments A manual covering various levels of fire control plan- 

 ning was completed during I960. Fire control plans will be submitted to 

 Head Office covering each fire district. More detailed plans are required 

 to cover certain high value areas such as the Kirkwood Management Unit in 

 Sault Ste. Marie district and county forests under agreement in Southern 

 Ontario. All plans will be reviewed and revised as required annually. 



A fire suppression equipment testing centre was established at 

 Maple Research Station with the co-operation of the Research Branch. Any 

 new item of fire -fighting equipment coming on the market will be thoroughly 

 tested and evaluated prior to adoption. 



Work was started on streamlining water dropping tanks for our 

 Otter aircraft. An electrical trip mechanism is also being developed for 

 the tanks. Both modifications are expected to improve water dropping op- 

 eration from the standpoint of efficiency and safety. 



Forest Insects and Diseases 



Forest insect and disease problems in Ontario are shared co-opera- 

 tively with the Forest Entomology and Pathology Branch of the Canada Depart- 

 ment of Forestry. The Province is responsible for conducting all control 

 operations on lands under its jurisdiction, and the federal government con- 

 ducts the survey and research work on which control decisions are based. 

 Surveys Each year this Department participates to a large extent in the 

 Ontario portion of the Canada-wide Forest Insect and Disease Survey of the 

 federal Department of Forestry. Detailed Infoimatlon concerning the 

 occurrence and distribution of specific forest Insects and diseases is 

 contained in the Annual Report of the Forest Insect and Disease Survey. 



