PREVENTION OF FOREST FIRE LOSSES 



1261 



AND THIS DESTRUCTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED 



This shows one of the many fires in the Black Hills Forest of South Dakota started by locomotive sparks 

 before the employment of oil burning engines on all lines running through the forest. 



complete control is demonstrated as necessary and put 

 into effect when such burning is done. 



While much remains to be done, what has so far 

 been accomplished in gaining public recognition of the 

 proper weight to be given fire losses is very gratifying. 

 Railroad companies are realizing the necessity of plac- 

 ing a value upon all trees from the largest to the small- 

 est. A fire was recently reported near a railroad right 

 of way. The railroad company's claim agents were 

 sent to the area at once with instructions to ascertain 

 whether the company was responsible for the fire, and, 

 if so, to appraise the damage and offer to settle. In a 

 recent juvenile court case, two boys convicted of leav- 

 ing a camp fire burning were sentenced by the judge 

 to take a two weeks' trip into the forest to study a 

 burned area and report fully to the judge the damage 

 done. 



The public when brought to a proper realization of 

 the losses caused by fires and the need of care and 

 prompt action for fire prevention and suppression, may 

 become a fighting machine of the most effective kind. 

 A fire starts; the individual who first sees it thereby 

 acquires the responsibility of putting it out and, if this 

 is not possible, of securing assistance promptly. Every- 

 thing should be learned about the origin of the fire which 

 is possible, so its cause may be fully understood. The 

 man first upon the ground is in the best position to 

 gain available information. 



There is attractive excitement in answering the call 

 in light fire. A man who has answered this call once 

 will always feel a quickening of the pulse and a desire 

 to act when the call comes again. The need for quick 

 action regardless of the hour, the necessity of matching 

 one's wits against existing difficulties to secure imme- 



diate action to control the ele- 

 ment that is steadily destroy- 

 ing values it has taken years 

 to create, brings a quickening 

 of the pulse somewhat akin 

 to that caused by a call for 

 war. There is a big fire in one 

 of the forests and an extra 

 supply of equipment is needed. 

 A wire has been sent to the dis- 

 trict office for these things. 

 The wire is received at 10.30 

 P. M. The next train upon 

 which these things can be 

 shipped leaves at 2.30 A. M. 

 The first thing is to secure a 

 conveyance and assistance, get 

 into the supply room, pack the 

 needed supplies, rush them to 

 the station and express them 

 out. Here is a piece of work 

 that has in it only keen zest 

 for matching one's wits against 

 obstacles and not fail to ful- 

 fill the work of fire fighting 

 for which one has been made responsible by the receipt 

 of the telegram. A man who has been a ranger for 



CATCHING IT IN GOOD TIM I. 



This shows Mexican section bands putting out a fire started by a rail- 

 road engine crossing the Pike National Forest. 



