Canadian Forestry Journal, January, 1920 



15 



Mattawin river. Putting on all speed we were 

 soon over the spot and the smoke proved to be 

 from a fire by which some jobbers were pre- 

 paring their supper, a camp in the course of 

 construction stood a few feet from tlie fire. 



"On July 7th at 4 p.m. we sighted a fire 

 about a mile long on the River Croche, when 

 forty miles to the south of the fire, and re- 

 ported same to headquarters on our return. A 

 lake was situated not far to the west of the 

 fire, to which we could easily have transported 

 fire pumps and men, but we did not have suf- 

 ficient fuel either aboard the machine, or at the 

 base, to carry out this project. This was the 

 only patrol made before the end of July, and 

 after that date there was no fire sufficiently 

 large to warrant the transportation of a motor 

 fire pump. However, on October 18th, as a 

 test, we stowed the Johnson fire pump and hose 

 aboard the machine, and found it would be quite 

 feasible to transport this equipment to any lake 

 or river, which offered an open stretch of water 

 for landing. 



"During May, June and July, when we were 

 unfortunately not able to carry out aerial pa- 

 trols, 147 fires were reported by the rangers of 

 the association; these fires burnt over an area 

 of 41,312 acres. The first fire of the season 

 occurred on May 8th and the last on Sept. 5th. 



From the above it will be seen that the fire 

 patrol we were able to effect, would not in itself 

 warrant the payment of a sum equal to our 

 season's expenditures. In view of this the 

 following points must be thoroughly considered 

 — We have shown that fires can be sighted from 

 aircraft, and rapidly reported or extinguished, 

 in an efficient manner that could never be 

 achieved by other means. We have proven the 

 value of aerial photography, and shown the 

 cheapness of this method of mapping. With the 

 small personnel at our disposal, we have con- 

 structed the necessary station equipment for the 

 carrying out of flying with the boat type ma- 

 chines ,and have found out and overcome most 

 of the faults of the machines. In short, we have 

 carried out experiments which will enable us 

 to resume the work at the beginning of the next 

 fire season, without hindrance; and with two 

 machines and two pilots in the field, to main- 

 tain as constant a surveillance of the lands 

 under our care as is possible. 



PHOTOGRAPHY FROM ALOFT. 



The second aim in the work was to prove 

 the worth of aerial protography taken over 

 timberland, in ascertaining the detail with which 

 the various types of timber, and the topogra- 



phical features, would be shown. We endeav- 

 ored to secure an uo-to-date camera for this 

 work, but manufacturers were still engaged fill- 

 ing government contracts, and it was impossible 

 to secure one from any source. We secured an 

 inferior out-of-date camera, and with this and 

 various others, we made several hundred ex- 

 posures, all of which proved unsatisfactory for 

 our purpose. 



Ice was forming on the lakes and we had 

 flown through several blizzards before our long 

 promised "real" camera was delivered, but we 

 began with greater zest the work with this no'.v 

 apparatus. This was the Eastman Kl Aerial 

 camera, 100 exposure, 18 cm. x 24 cm., actuated 

 by a wind motor and automatic in operation. 

 At the height we were flying, 5,000 feet, we 

 secured a map of the country three-quarters of 

 a mile wide and sixty miles long with one film, 

 the resultant scale being 400 feet to the inch. 

 Before the lakes became entirely frozen over, 

 we were able to secure three hundred and eighty 

 negatives, portraying all types of country. The 

 results of these pictures exceeded all expecta- 

 tions, watersheds, and their drainage, swamps 

 and burnt-over lands are all accurately shown. 

 The hardwood is readily distinguished from the 

 coniferous, and the differences in size of growth 

 are readily noted. Pine is easily spotted from 

 other coniferous types ,and as our experience 

 increases in the interpretation of aerial forest 

 photographs, they will undoubtedly become a 

 great deal more comprehensive, and innumerable 

 other valuable features will be disclosed. It 

 must be remembered that this is a new study, 

 and I feel sure that the contentions of even the 

 most optimistic will be exceeded when the work 

 has been given thorough study. 



PASSENGERS CARRIED. 



.\ number of lumbermen accompanied us on 

 our patrols at various times. These gentlemen 

 were representatives of the various branches 

 of work connected with forestry, company man- 

 agers, foresters, logging superintendents, and 

 explorers. In each instance these men were 

 greatly impressed with the possibilities of the 

 work. 



DISTANCE FLOWN. 



The total distance covered during the season 

 has been 6,000 miles ;of this total. 1.500 miles 

 were flown while coming from Halifax and dur- 

 ing test trips. .\ distance of 4.500 miles was 

 flown on patrol work, and the mean visibility 

 found to be twenty miles, which aggregates 

 180,000 square miles of territory patrolled. 



