i8 REPORT OF THE FOREST COMMISSION. 



CAUSES OF FIRES. 



Forest fire control depends finally upon the education of the 

 public to watchfulness both in themselves and in others. However, 

 to point out the danger to them and to prevent fires from starting, it 

 must be known upon whom, or what, to concentrate, as well as where 

 trouble is most prevalent. The year's fires in relation to their 

 causes are considered below and summarized in Table III. 



Unknoi^n Causes. 



Only 140 of this year's fires started from causes not ascertained, 

 and of these 63 were merely beginnings caught promptly. This is 

 a marked reduction in this class, despite the fact that the total 

 number of fires reported has increased, and is one of the most 

 encouraging features of the year's work. The following shows the 

 relative proportions of this class to the total fires for each year: 

 J 9o8, 53%; 1909, 46%; 1910, 57%; 1911, 39%; 1912, 26%. 



Railroad Fires. 



As has always been the case, this class of fires again leads all 

 others in numbers, and indeed shows a marked increase of small 

 fires that may not be classed as forest fires, yet probably would 

 have grown to such proportions but for prompt attention. This fact 

 is not ground for condemnation of the railroads so much as a reflec- 

 tion of the improving attitude of the local service in reporting the 

 small fires'" that hitherto have been extinguished but deemed too small 

 for official notice. There is encouragement in the fact that while 

 there were 295 railroad fires reported this year, as against 200 in 

 1911, 146 in 1910, 145 in 1909, 148 in 1908, the increase is entirely 

 in the number of small fires. Of the 67 fires that may rightly be 

 classed as forest fires only 25 burned to become large fires of 50 

 acres or more. 



It is not expected that railroad fires can be appreciably reduced 

 in number while conditions remain as they are, though their spread 

 may be prevented. The menace of its locomotives to forest growth 

 is one over which no company has more than limited mechanical 

 control. Much improvement can still be made in maintaining spark 

 arresters and screens in good repair, but these devices yet remain 

 inadequate where high speed or heavy haul must be maintained. 



