468 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



A TYPE OF STANDARD FIRE LOOKOUT 



This is another one of the Forest Service fire lookouts, and a 

 type which is rapidly coming into favor and use. It is a steel 

 tower. 40 feet high, with glassed-in observatory reached by iron 

 stairs, located in Arizona. 



vation from an airplane for a few minutes each day, on 

 account of the short duration of flights, the speed of 

 the ships, and the great distances covered. The lookout 

 observer, on the other hand, maintains a constant watch 

 from daylight to dark, and though his field of vision is 

 limited by distance and weather conditions the territory 

 over which he stands guard is under observation for the 

 maximum period each day, and he is thus able to dis- 

 cover many fires which the airplanes miss. 



The forest fire lookout is here to stay. It has been 

 thoroughly tried out and proven a success. The very 

 fact that one eastern State, Pennsylvania, with its new 

 and elaborate system of fire control, erected 68 lookout 

 towers during the past year itself speaks for the perma- 

 nence and effectiveness of these eyes of the forest. 



Xne Tragedy Of Carelessness 

 By Orville Leonard 

 nPHE air is breathless in the w6ods. The dried leaves 

 brown and red and yellow rustle under foot. 

 The nobly rounded breasts of distant hills, the brush- 

 clad nearer slopes, the shadowy forest depths between 

 the big tree boles, are veiled in warm blue mist. . . . 

 Suddenly another mist comes stealing through the 

 trees. It is not soft blue mist, but sinister gray smoke. 

 Then billowing black clouds, hot and choking and shot 

 with flame, follow swiftly after that stealthily spreading 



veil of gray. The little flames creep steadily through 

 the carpet of dead leaves, the brush-clad hills are a giant's 

 bonfire, the boles of the noble forest trees are torches of 

 living flame. 



The partridge scuttles beneath the brush ; the rabbit 

 darts to cover ahead of the roaring menace. With the 

 thick smoke billowing ahead and covering the woods, a 

 steady wall of flame roars on, licking up in its rapid run, 

 every twig and bush and tree every living blade of 

 green. 



Then the partridge and the rabbit are outrun and 

 swallowed in the fire nay, more, their very species are 

 nearer extinction, for all the young of every living thing 

 have been seared to a crisp by that fierce fiery breath. 



And when the fire demon has swept his course, he 

 leaves a blackened swath of stark, dead desolation that 

 cannot grow into the fair green forest that it was within 

 the life span of this generation. For years to come, 

 the twisted arms of fire killed forest trees will writhe in 

 dead, black protest to the sky. 



For tragedy may be the result of thoughtlessness, even 

 through such a tiny instrument as a carelessly flung 

 match, or a campfire abandoned while still burning. 



Our Fire ProlDlein~1922 



A Campaign is At Hand 



The Enemy is Fire 



His Opponent is You. 



The Dispute is over Forest Resources. 



The Final Outcome is Unquestioned. But 



What Shall the Losses be 



In Timber, Range, Scenic Beauty, Buildings, Human Life? 



The Answer Is 



The Losses will be Small If 



You and Other Veterans of Former Battles 



And Go-Get-'Em Recruits 



Are Aggressively and Everlastingly on the Job. 



With Head and Hand and Weapons, 



Planning, Preparing and Anticipating 



Where and When the Enemy will Strike 



And How You Can be Right There 



To Gas Him in the Zero Hour 



Before He has Time to Dig in 



And Throw Up a Smoke Screen. 



Slackers, Slumberers, Blunderers and Shade Hounds 



Will March Over 



To the Forever Inactive List 



Which has no Pay Roll Attached. 



, High Voltage, High Pressure 



High Power and High Speed 



Broadcasted by Contact and by Radio 



During the Campaign of 1922 



Will Keep the Enemy 



Where He Belongs 



In the Final Review 



The Forest Service will Stand Supreme 



For Duty Well Done. 



{District Forester, D-6, Circular Letter.) 



