1922-23 



DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 



177 



SUMMARY OF PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS 



*Combined boat and storehouse. 



(9) Air Patrol 



Aircraft for forest fire detection were used in Ontario for the second time 

 last season. A main flying base was established on Ramsay Lake near Sudbury, 

 and a sub-base on Trout Lake near North Bay. 



Patrols were made over the northern part of the Georgian Bay and Algon- 

 quin Inspectorates, the greater part of the Sudbury Inspectorate, and the 

 eastern part of the Soo Inspectorate, during the peak of the fire season in May 

 and June, covering an area of approximately 40,000 square miles. Systematic 

 patrols were confined to a part of the Sudbury Inspectorate over an area of 

 8,100 square miles. 



The total flying time for the season was 430 hours, the bulk of this being 

 done by the H.S. 2 L type of machine, with occasional flights by a Vicker's 

 "Viking" machine. The flying season extended from the 22nd of May to 

 October 15th, with from two to five machines available. 



New fires located by the patrols were reported either by dropping messages 

 to the ground stafif, or by telegraph or telephone upon the landing of the machine. 

 Owing to the inability of the H.S. 2 L machines to either land on or take ofT 

 from small lakes, they were used only twice during the season for transporting 

 men and equipment to specific fires. 



The operations during the two seasons in which aircraft have been used 

 have clearly demonstrated the following facts: 



1. That for sighting and locating forest fires aircraft have no equal. 



2. That for country similar to that in the western part of the Province, 

 where the expenditure necessary for an efficient ground detection system makes 

 that system prohibitive, patrol by aircraft is the best solution. 



3. That in country similar to the above, the use of aircraft of the type 

 available at the present time will not allow a reduction in the ground staff in 

 that territory sufficient to afTect the total pay roll. These machines can be 

 depended upon for detection only, or for transportation for very limited dis- 

 tances. The rangers must therefore be located in the area patrolled to combat 

 the fires reported to them. They may be taken from long canoe patrols and 

 engaged on improvement work at definite points known to the airmen, but 

 they cannot be taken from the territory. 



4. That air patrol has a great moral effect both upon the people in the patrol 

 area and upon the rangers themselves. 



