1262 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



many years said the one thing he regretted in leaving 

 his position was losing the exhilarating excitement of 

 going to and participating in controlling forest fires. 



Efficient organization is important because every man 

 who answers to the 

 call for fire fighting, 

 and is well treated, 

 that is, well trans- 

 ported, well fed and 

 bedded, will respond 

 with zest to the work. 

 Even a lazy man will 

 feel a quickening of 

 the pulse when he 

 hears the call, like the 

 dog and the child in 

 the street when the fire 

 engine goes dashing 

 by. Prompt pay and 

 good treatment are 

 important factors that 

 will in time make 

 every man within strik- 

 ing distance a fire 

 fighter to be depended 

 upon. Here is a gar- 

 age in a small moun- 

 tain town crowded 

 with people 

 mer. 



BURNED OVER AREA— THE ECHO RIVER FIRE 



A public understanding that fires are purposely set which destroy forest growth is 

 not going to be very keen in responding to appeals for fire protective measures and 

 necessary control work, and must be' educated to it. 



in sum- 

 Many men are employed in this garage when 

 the season is on and a line of cars is run, by the com- 

 pany owning it, through the forest to the nearest rail- 

 road point. The administration is charged with the 



work of keeping fires out of the timber and the beauty 

 of the forest growth along this road is of high value 

 to the transportation company, so an agreement is en- 

 tered into between the transportation company and the 



forest administration 

 providing that the 

 drivers of all cars upon 

 the road will keep 

 their eyes open and 

 report any fires no- 

 ticed. When the re- 

 port of an existing fire 

 is received at the gar- 

 age, fire tools furnished 

 by the Government are 

 loaded into a car and 

 a number of men work- 

 ing in the garage are 

 whirled away to the 

 fire. The company is 

 paid for the time of its 

 men and cars. One 

 who has seen the faces 

 of these men on the 

 road when they have 

 been suddenly taken 

 away from the me- 

 chanical work of the 

 garage and speeded 

 into the open to fight fire, will understand the thrill 

 of it. Efficient treatment must follow, else the men 

 who respond will lose the zest of it. When the National 

 Forests were first created there was no provision for 



HARD-WON REST FOR THE CREW 



This shows the fighters at the Camp Creek Fire on day "sleep shift" near the burning fire line. 



blankets and "tear it off." 



Utterly exhausted, they roll up in their 



