Pillar of Smoke a Cry of Alarm. 



Whatever be its cause, the faintest pillar of smoke in the 

 sky is the cry of alarm that calls the United States forest 

 rangers of the national forests into action. And the role of 

 the forest fighter is quite different from that of the city fire- 

 man. There is no clanging bell, no spectacular rush through 

 busy streets. No applause comes to his ears. He has gone 

 into the valley to replenish his supply of cold water from 

 the spring. As he climbs slowly up the steep side of the 

 mountain towards his "lookout" the pine needles crackle un- 

 der his heavy boots like little firecrackers in the dry, still 

 air, shimmering with waves of heat. Arriving at the top, he 

 mops his wet forehead and gives one swift, sweeping look 

 around the horizon that marks the limits of the 30,000 acres 

 of pine forest he is watching. 



As his gaze has almost completed the circle he stops, one 

 hand raised and pointed toward the northeast. A small black 

 cloud seems to speck the heavens, and instantly he brings 

 his field-glass to bear upon the speck. His first impressions 

 are confirmed. A forest fire has started on the southern slope 

 of the second range of mountains to the northeast. He 

 watches it, motionless, for ten seconds. He gets his range- 

 finder to locate the flame more definitely than his vision, 

 trained to accurate measurement of space and location though 

 it is, could do. And then 



Fighting the Flames. 



The forest becomes a scene of battle! Just such an emer- 

 gency has been prepared for. Every sawmill or railroad 

 force, every permanent cow camp, every logging operation 

 or other business going on in the woods has been carefully 

 listed. There are records which show how many men are 

 available at Jones' camp, how soon they can get on the 

 ground, how much provisions are kept on hand there. Notifi- 

 cation by telephone is made to the various camps. There is 

 a rush toward the danger that threatens. 



A hand-to-hand conflict is on between the ranger's army 

 and the flames. Using gunnysacks, coats, whatever there is 



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