162 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



line along the French River and Lake Nipissing, although occasional flights 

 were made over the Parry Sound Inspectorate. 



Headquarters of the Eastern Patrol was again located on Ramsay Lake, 

 Sudbury. While this location is not as central as it should be, it has telegraph 

 and railway facilities that other more central stations lack. In addition to the 

 bases used in the season of 1925, new bases were established at Longlac, Bisco, 

 and also a machine was on fire patrol duty at Sault Ste. Marie during the greater 

 part of the season. 



With the exception of Sudbury, where there were always two machines, 

 these were all one-machine bases, and in nearly every case, one man had the 

 requisitioning of flying to be done by the machine in his district. This proved 

 to be a very satisfactory arrangement, and should be borne in mind in future 

 when new bases are being established. 



The general scheme followed in placing the machines for the eastern part 

 of the patrol area was to ferry them first from the Soo to Sudbury, there to wait 

 until they were required at the various bases. This arrangement could not be 

 improved upon, since it allowed the observers to report first to Sudbury, and 

 spend a few days at headquarters receiving their necessary instructions and 

 equipment. 



Detection Flying: 



(1) Fire History. — During the season of 1926 the fire hazard, while not as 

 intense as at certain periods in 1925, extended over lopger periods which might 

 be classified as periods of medium hazard. A total of 793 fires was detected 

 and reported. This figure includes 64 class D fires and 729 of the A, B, C 

 classes. The majority of the latter group were clearing fires, a report being 

 made in most cases as a check against the fire permit issued by the suppression 

 staff". 



Reports from Remi Lake show 446 class A, B, C fires, mostly all clearing 

 fires in various stages and in most cases burning under permit. The number 

 of fires in the A, B, C classes reported from this base is probably greater than 

 it would be other years on account of weather conditions during the past two 

 years which did not permit the settlers to burn the accumulation of slash. 



(2) Improvements.— Y^ur'ing the past year an improvement in the reporting 

 of fires has been made (a) by adding to our communication equipment and 

 (6) by better distribution of machines. 



(a) Communication: 



Bad communication has been overcome to a great extent by the installation 

 of telephone lines at Remi Lake, Bisco, Longlac and Lake Como. Nine and 

 a half miles of permanent line have been constructed at Remi Lake, connecting 

 the air base and the telegraph , office at Moonbeam. This line not only enabled 

 prompt reporting of fires but also allowed a much nearer approach to the direct 

 control of patrols by the Fire Inspector at Cochrane, a condition which, due 

 to the varying weather conditions in this large area, is of more than usual im- 

 portance. Standing requisitions, which were necessary with the poor com- 

 munication facilities of former years, were not satisfactory. 



At Lake Como about two and three-quarter miles of temporary line (army 

 cable) connected the air base and the telegraph office at Esher. By this 

 means constant communication between the Chief Ranger at Chapleau and the 

 air base was assured. 



Short telephone lines were also established between the Chief Ranger's 

 headquarters and the air bases at Bisco and Longlac. As in former years, com- 

 munication was maintained at Ramsay Lake by our own submarine cable line 



