xiv EEPORT OF THE .\o. 3 



weather became extremely hot and intense heat prevailed all through July and, for 

 the greater part of August, causing everything to become dry as tinder. The 

 settlers who had been prevented by the frequent rain from burning the b^ush now 

 availed themselves of the changed conditions and began to set out fires to clear their 

 lands. For a couple of weeks all went well, but during the last few days of July 

 violent winds sprung up in the Temiskaming district, fanning the individual fires, 

 driving them beyond control, uniting them into one seething caldron of flame. 

 The loss of life and damage to property makes this the most terrible and deplorable 

 fire in the history of the Province. A more detailed account of this fire will i3e 

 found elsewhere in this report. 



In the early part of August fires were reported from almost every part of 

 Northern Ontario, but in no other case were they attended by loss of life. Although 

 some valuable timber was damaged in different sections of the Province, for 

 the most part the fires were kept confined to certain well defined areas by the well 

 directed efforts of the ranging staff. Too much credit cannot be given to the men 

 who in some cases kept up the fight for several days and nights, and finally found 

 their efforts crowned by success. 



The fires occasioning the greatest damage to timber were in the townships of 

 Gooderham, Notman, Janes, Dana, McXeish, Pardee, Cotton, Howey, Grigg, 

 Beardsford, Sweeney, Frechette and Valin. 



Where the damaged area was under license the timber damaged by fire will be 

 cut and removed by the licensee this season. 



Where the areas were not already under license sales were affected, the pur- 

 chasers agreeing to remove the damaged timber this winter. The prices obtained 

 for the damaged timber in these sales were better than might reasonably have been 

 anticipated. 



Some 1,804 -fires in all were reported during the season, but only in the case 

 of 125 were they attended by any damage to timber, the balance being put out by 

 the rangers before they had an opportunity to spread. 



Nearly 50 per cent of the fires Avere said to be caused by railway engines, but 

 very few of these fires occasioned any damage. It is only fair to state that the 

 railways are co-operating whole-heartedly with the Department in its efforts for 

 the protection of the forests wealth of the Province. 



Next to the railway engines the cause of the greatest number of fires is given 

 as settlers clearing lands. These fires occasion- the greatest damage as the clearing 

 is generally contiguous to standing timber and plenty of material is at hand to feed 

 the fiames and cause them to spread. The other causes of fires given are lightning, 

 campers, berry pickers, tourists, smokers and road construction. 



There were 474 men on duty on Crown Lands during the fire ranging season of 

 1916, distributed as follows: 



Forest reserves, 186 ; railways, 137 ; Crown Lands, 115. These men were under 

 the direct supervision of 19 chief rangers and 7 deputy chief rangers. There were 

 also 12 inspectors on railways, 8 supervisors on lands under license. 



Forest Eeserves. 



Temagami Forest Eeserve was patrolled by 113 rangers last season, under the 

 direction of four chief rangers and one deputy. 



Missassaga Eeserve hnd a staff of 48 rangers under tiie supervision of a chief 

 ranger and three deputies. 



