FIREWARDEN'S REPORT. 17 



promptly by the wardens. The total number of fires burning over 

 five acres is reduced from 289 in 1911 to 214 in 1912 Serious fires 

 during the past year were so few that there have been but 51 

 reported to have burned more than 100 acres and of these but 3 

 reached the 1,000 acre mark. The sole increase even in numbers 

 is found in fires that burned insignificant areas and did negligible 

 damage. The total area burned has dropped from 64,404 acres a 

 year ago to 26,291 acres, with an average area per fire of 48 acres 

 contrasted with 122 acres in 1911. It is noteworthy also that prac- 

 tically every county shows a reduction; an indication that the im- 

 provement is not local, but universal. 



TABLE II. FIEES BY RELATIVE AREA BURNED AND COUNTIES, 1912. 



