ALASKA'S INTERIOR FORESTS 



455 



and a spark in the dry moss may start a fire that may criminal neglect and waste a natural resource without 

 cover thousands of acres, before burning itself out on the which prosperity can not long remain in any country, 

 edge of a muskeg or being put out by the fall rains. 3. In short, the prevention of forest fires nuist be 

 'J"o meet the future demand for wood and in order to driven home. As a practical problem the suppression 

 remedy the damage done by fire it has been seriously of fires after they are started is secondary for the in- 

 suggested that the Government should undertake re- terior population is insufficient or too widely scattered to 

 planting of the burned areas Artificial reforestation of jjrovide an absolutely effective suppression force in the 

 denuded areas is an expensive undertaking in the States ordinary case, 

 where labor costs are lower, transportation available and 4. To remedy the situation and to fix clearly the ro- 



climatic factors most favorable for tree growth. In the 

 interior of Alaska, with short, hot summer seasons and 

 long, cold winters, and with labor scarce and high, arti- 

 ficial reforestation is entirely impracticable. 



sponsibility there should be on the ground a small pro- 

 tective organization ; this to consist of a forest super- 

 visor or fire warden with a force of forest rangers anc'i 

 patrolmen, in touch with public sentiment, to the end that 



The sure way to provide a fuel and lumber supply for the need for forest protection may be brought home. The 

 interior .Alaska's present and future needs is to keep fire mere presence of such an organization in the country will 

 out of the forests that nature has already grown there, help tremendously in the prevention of fire. 

 Under Alaskan conditions the best way to grow forests is 5. The duties of this organization should be essentially 

 by preventing forest fires. fire prevention and fire patrol, rather than fire suppres- 



As a national duty it is imperative for the Federal Gov- sion, though they should extinguish all fires in their re- 



emment, the spective d i s- 



owner of the 

 lands involved. 

 ifi cooperation 

 with the Ter- 

 ritory of Alas- 

 ka and its 

 residents, not 

 only to stop 

 forest fires 

 but to keep 

 fire out of tiie 

 interior forests 

 in the future 

 The prevention 

 of forest fires 

 is therefore es- 

 sential as well 

 as the suppres- 

 sion of fires 

 that start. 

 With a sparse 



AT THE NORTH END OF BROAD PASS 



Smoke from a forest fire burning along the Government railroad right of way is seen in 

 the distance. It is believed that the interior forests of Alaska are hardly holding their own 

 against the annual loss due to uncontrolled fires. 



tricts wherever 

 it is possible 

 to do so. Under 

 interior Alaska 

 conditions i 1 

 is not believed 

 that it is pos- 

 sible to secure 

 a s u ffi c i e n i 

 force of men to 

 jjut out all for- 

 est fires that 

 start ; it is be- 

 lieved entirely 

 possible and 

 feasible to 

 arouse public 

 sentiment t o 

 the point 

 where the 

 large majority 



population, immense distances to cover, with trails and of the population will do their utmost to prevent forest 



roads few and far between, the fighting of forest fires 

 after they start is an extremely difiicult matter, and in 

 many cases impossible ; the best way to fight forest fire-s 

 in interior Alaska is not to let them start. 



In suggesting any plan for the protection from fire 

 of the forests of interior Alaska certain fundamental 

 facts of Alaskan conditions and human nature must be 

 recognized. I'.riefly, these are : 



1. The interior of Alaska has a sparse and scattered 

 poi)ulation, living largely imder pioneer conditions and 

 with the pioneer's point of view regarding natural re- 

 sources. 



2. Such being the case the protection of the forests 

 from fire must come through an awakened public sent! 



fires. No plan of protection can succeed without the 

 support of the local people. 



6. Full and hearty cooperation in the work of bring- 

 ing forest fire prevention before the pviblic by all exist- 

 ing Government agencies in the interior of Alaska is 

 imperative ; until this is brought about all efforts to se- 

 cure public support for the prevention of forest fires are 

 futile. 



7. The interior forests should not be withdrawn from 

 entry for National Forest purposes, nor included within 

 a National Forest, nor should their existing status be 

 changed in any way, other than that it would appear 

 logical that their protection from fire should be deie- 



ment. The pioneer population must be brought to re- gated to the Government service, whose special func- 

 alize that it is to their immediate interest, as well as to tion is the protection and administration of Federal for- 

 succeeding generations, to use but also to protect from est lands. 



