KEPORT FOR 1912 AND 1913 21 



The efficiency of the forest wardens is greatly increased where the 

 public sentiment in the community is strongly in favor of fire protec- 

 tion. Under such favorable conditions fires are reported to the forest 

 wardens and measures taken for extinguishing them before they have 

 done much damage. In other sections where the needs of fire protec- 

 tion are not so fully appreciated, it is often a considerable time after 

 a fire is first discovered before the forest warden hears about it and 

 can take measures for suppressing it. Under such conditions fires 

 burn over the largest areas and do the greatest amount of damage. 

 Unfortunately public sentiment favoring fire protection is less de- 

 veloped in the mountain counties of the State, where are found the 

 largest areas of woodland and where the fires do the greatest amount 

 of damage. This is clearly shown by reference to the table on 

 page IT, showing that in the mountain counties (Garrett, Allegany, 

 Washington and Frederick) there are the greatest number of fires, 

 the most acres burned over, and the largest amount of damage. 



Forest Wardens' conferences were held in the four western counties 

 of the State during March, 1913, for the purpose of promoting a 

 better understanding of the importance of fire protection work and 

 methods of handling fires. Each conference was attended by the 

 State Forester, the Assistant State Forester, and from fifteen to 

 twenty forest wardens, patrolmen, and lookout watchmen. The chief 

 topics for discussion were the duties, responsibilities and powers of 

 the forest wardens, and how their work could be most effectively 

 done and the greatest measure of co-operation secured. The meetings 

 were notable for the interest manifested by the wardens and a real 

 desire to do effective work. As a result, each went back to his post 

 feeling that he was part of an organization having a tremendous re- 

 sponsibility and pledged to a greater public service. 



Forest Patrolmen. In the western part of the State, where there 

 are large continuous areas of woodland and where fires travel rapidly, 

 it has been found necessary to supplement the work of *the forest 

 wardens by men whose duty it is to travel over the country and to be 

 constantly on the lookout for fires during the dangerous season. A 

 forest patrol has, therefore, been organized in co-operation with the 



