FIRE PROTECTION IN THE NATIONAL FORESTS 575 



While the following discussion includes questions which must be con- 

 sidered in the preparation of fire ])lans, it will be obvious that many of the 

 points mentioned can not be included. 



VALUE OF MATERIAL AND RISK. 



The practice in the Forest Service has not become very definite in regard 

 to the efl'ect which the value of the material and the fire risk should have in 

 protection. In a district embracing in part Montana and northern Idaho an 

 attempt has been made to place the protection in the western part of the 

 district as compared with the eastern in the ratio of 3 to 1, because of the 

 dense stand of western white i)ine in the -^ est as compared with the lighter 

 open stand of western yellow iiiie in the east. On individual forests in general, 

 heavy stands of timber and those stands of timber which are in the greatest 

 danger from fire, receive much more protection and are considered first in the 

 location and building of permanent improvements, necessary for efficient fire 

 protection. 



CAUSES AND PREVENTION. 



The following table shows the number of fires which have occurred on 

 the national forests from lOOO to 1010 inclusive, and also the causes : 



Number of Fires in 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1910, and Reported Causes; Also 

 Percentage of Causes to Total Number of Fires 



Total 1,133 1.355 2,728 3,138 5,201 13,555 



The area in national forests has increased from approximately 107,000.000 

 acres in 1906 to a little more than 190,000,000 acres at the present time. 

 During these five years a regular field force, which has increased from approxi- 

 mately 1,000 in 1906 to approximately 2,500 in 1910, and which has been 

 augmented by other labor when necessarv, has extinguished a grand total of 

 13,533 fires. 



With the exception of those started by lightning, which approximate about 

 15 per cent of the total, all these fires are preventable. In many parts of 

 the west electrical storms during certain parts of the year which are accom- 

 panied by little or no rain are very dangerous. For instance, one storm on 

 the Rainier Forest on July 14, 1911, started no less than twenty fires. For- 

 tunately, however, many of these fires went out and the others, with one 

 exception, were reached and put out by rangers before they attained serious 

 proportions. It has been found that in some forests the danger of fire from 

 electric storms is confined to more or less definite zones, and the recognition 

 if this fact is of gi-eat value in protection. For instance, on the Payette 

 Forest in Idaho there is great danger from fires started by lightning on only 

 three peaks. 



