1921-22 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 221 



These lines make it possible for the rangers in the district to report fires 

 promptly, and to call for assistance without wasting valuable time in travelling 

 to the nearest point where help is available. They also enable the officer in 

 charge to keep informed as to the exact conditions existing in the district at any 

 time. 



(9) Air Patrol. 



Aircraft for forest fire detection were used this season for the first time. 

 The operation was carried on in co-operation with the Dominion Air Board and 

 proved highly satisfactory. A main base was established at Whitney, a station 

 on the Grand Trunk Railway in Algonquin Park and a sub-base at Parry Sound, 

 the patrols covering the Districts of Parry Sound and Muskoka, Algonquin 

 Park and the adjacent country. This territory lends itself admirably to the 

 use of sea-planes or flying boats and this type of machine was used. Patrols 

 were carried on from May 23rd to October 4th with a total of 613.8 flying hours. 

 Usually only one flight was made over the territory each day, but when con- 

 ditions warranted, two flights were made. Fires were reported by dropping 

 messages, by landing at some point where telephone or telegraph communication 

 was possible, or when the machine returned to its base. 



The season's operations have clearly demonstrated that for similar country, 

 aircraft have no equal for sighting and locating forest fires. From a height of 

 five or six thousand feet the smoke of a camp fire can be seen for several miles, 

 and located within one-quarter of a mile by an experienced observer. When 

 bad fires occur the chief ranger is able, by flying over the area, to place his men 

 to greater advantage, and when a patrol is finished the officer in charge of the 

 district knows the exact condition of fires throughout his territory. The moral 

 effect on the people within the patrol area is also of great importance. 



In addition to the locating of fires, the machines were used for transporting 

 fire fighting equipment to fires in remote areas, for mapping forest types, and for 

 taking photographs of particular areas. 



II.— FOREST INVESTIGATION 



During the past season two large forest survey projects were undertaken. 



The first area covered about 13,500 square miles of the lower watersheds of 

 the Abitibi, Mattagami and Moose Rivers. This area, little known except 

 along the main waterways, was mapped from aircraft, working in conjunction 

 with ground parties. A detailed report is appended herewith. 



Another large area of 4,000 square miles in extent forming a portion of 

 the upper watershed of the Missinaibie and Kapuskasing Rivers was done with 

 aircraft and ground parties. A detailed report of this survey is not yet available, 

 but the following is a classification of the forest conditions on the above survey. 



1. Timber 1,828 sq. miles 



2. Immature Growth 



(a) Above 5 inches D.B.H. but below 

 merchantable 152 



(b) Below 5 inches D.B.H 1,602 



1,755 „ „ 



3. Barren 101 ,, ,, 



4. Water 306 „ 



3,990 „ „ 



