FIRE PROTECTION TO SAVE OUR FORESTS 



713 



organization is no fire at all. Next to no fire at all, the 

 best looking fire on a season's record is what the United 

 States Forest Service calls a "Class A" fire one-quarter 

 acre or less in extent. In a lightning belt, to attain a 

 record with a high percentage of Class A fires is a prob- 

 lem in money, men and management. Without more men 

 and money the National Forests must continue, whenever 

 a bad year occurs, to contribute to our national area of 

 non-producing land. Mr. and Mrs. Average Citizen must 

 see that more funds are provided if they want the Nation- 

 al Forests to be under protection that really protects. 

 It is not entirely correct to say that elimination of 

 fires due to human agency is a problem in public opinion, 

 law enforcement and legislation. Here, also, men and 

 money are required. In 1918 State Forester Cox was 

 able to put into the field in Minnesota one man for every 

 350,000 acres that needed protection ; 350,000 acres 

 makes a tract 23 miles square. There were arrests and 



National or State leadership that is necessary enough 

 but the great opportunity is for the leadership of little 

 groups and middle-sized groups; the man who goes be- 

 fore the little group at the country store or in the smok- 

 ing room of the sleeping car and stands for better treat- 

 ment of our country's forest land this is the leader 

 who just now has an unusual opportunity to form and 

 crystallize public opinion. 



Such leaders may find in fire law enforcement one of 

 the topics worth talking about. It provides a definite, 

 understandable banner to raise; and for the benefit of 

 those who are still in doubt, let it be repeated over and 

 over again fire laws are enforceable ; violators, even the 

 smoothest of malicious incendiaries can be apprehended ; 

 the proof lies in three years' experience in the National 

 Forest Service in which both Federal and State fire laws 

 have been enforced with increasing success; and last, 

 but not least, that vigorous fire law enforcement can not 



A SCENE OF DESOLATION AFTER FIRE ON THE KANIKSU NATIONAL FOREST 



The lumber industry of the Inland Empire will decline unnecessarily because of this and similar burns. Nothing is more amazing than the 

 characteristic indifference of Americans to the waste by fire of our indispensable timber resources. Public opinion must be educated to understand 

 that fire protection and scientific forestry are common sense measures calling imperatively for practical support. 



convictions for fire law violations, but with a tract 23 

 miles square for each man to look after, is it any wonder 

 that there were many fires burning uncontrolled on Octo- 

 ber 12, ready to be fanned by the wind into a catastrophe? 



While fire law enforcement requires men and money 

 for State and Federal services, it is nevertheless a com- 

 paratively cheap and a comparatively neglected method 

 of fire protection open to all who are interested in fire 

 protection. Private citizens who want to promote fire 

 protection are not in a position to personally run down 

 clues and make arrests, but they can ask questions of 

 their officials and, by offering support and indicating 

 that they expect results, they can create a pressure which 

 will move mountains. 



Fire law enforcement is a field in which leadership 

 has a chance to function leadership by individuals 

 within or without public service. We are at the stage 

 of the development of fire protection when such leader- 

 ship hm its great opportunity and responsibility. Not 



be surpassed as a means of enabling public opinion to 

 discard definitely and for all time the old views that 

 belonged with the days when timber was often a nuisance. 

 Fire law enforcement aids public opinion to accept con- 

 sciously and aggressively the view that the days of too 

 little timber have arrived, and that fire protection, scien- 

 tific forestry and artificial planting are all common sense 

 measures calling for action on behalf of the interests of 

 the public by its elected representatives. 



It is inconceivable that public opinion will much longer 

 risk the forfeiture of the economic advantage this coun- 

 try possesses because of its enormous timber growing 

 resources, or continue to regard with complacency the 

 depletion of our. forests until wood products are priced 

 on the basis of imported luxuries. The particular steps 

 recommended by the National Forest Service to put our 

 timber supply on a self -.sustaining basis include : 



Extension of the Weeks Law, which will enable the 

 Forest Service to assist the States in fire protection and 



