IMPROVING FOREST FIRE PROTECTION 339 



DETERMINATION OF NEEDED IMPROVE- ideal plans give a large number of 



ME XTS trails that should be constructed or 



brushed, and the direct bearing of this 



The relative danger of hazards being work on protection must be considered, 

 fixed in mind the next step is to de- The secondary plan picks out the ones 

 termine how to spend the improvement which fit in best with the whole pro- 

 allotment to secure maximum protec- tective scheme. If it is seen that a 

 tion. A primary consideration is the trail can be constructed that will save 

 extension of the telephone system al- the ranger several hours' ride in getting 

 ready in existence. The ideal plan to an especially bad danger spot this 

 aims to secure such a method of tele- piece of work will be considered be- 

 phone communication that every district fore a trail which is recommended as a 

 can be readily reached from the main convenience to stockmen and tourists, 

 office, from the lookout points, and ad- Cabins, barns and pastures must be 

 joining rangers and patrolmen. Con- provided at strategic points to serve as 

 sequently, it is a foregone conclusion centres of the telephone and trail sys- 

 that a good slice of the improvement terns. The nature and cost of the 

 allotment will be spent in this way each houses to be built will depend upon 

 year until this result is achieved. For whether they will be used as head- 

 instance, it was recognized at the close quarters the year round or as stopping 

 of last season that the Foresthill dis- places for fire guards. The ideal plans 

 trict required better communication, are carefully scrutinized for all im- 

 The secondary plan accordingly sum- provements needed to supplement the 

 med up the matter in this way: "A force which it is estimated can be put 

 telephone line is needed from Foresthill on the coming fire season. The direct 

 to Sugar Pine and Tadpole Ranger or indirect bearing of every piece of 

 Stations, at least, and if possible to proposed improvement on the whole 

 Robertson Flat and French Meadows, scheme of protection is considered. 

 The total length of this line will be 39 The estimate of cost of each project is 

 miles. The idea of building this line given in the ideal plans as well as the 

 is to prevent a recurrence of the dis- order in which the ranger considers 

 astrous fires of last summer, if possible, it should be undertaken. The matter 

 by getting quick communication with of improvements is directly correlated 

 all available help." with the plans for the organization of 



Lookout towers are important fac- patrol, 

 tors to be considered in the protection 



scheme and wherever established they ORGANIZATION OF PATROL 



must be connected with the region they The final decision on this extremely 



control by telephone lines. The Banner important part of the protective scheme 



Lookout Tower near Nevada City was can not be reached until the ideal plans 



erected the spring of 1911 and demon- have been gone over with a fine toothed 



strated its usefulness in locating fires comb. The ideal plans are more or less 



in a region which had fires in one impracticable in some instances through 



locality when the patrolman was in the placing of undue emphasis on the 



another. Where it is demonstrated in protection of comparatively worthless 



an ideal plan that the riding patrol has areas, but the secondary plan must get 



a proposition of this kind to deal with, down to bed rock and consider what is 



a stationary patrol, otherwise called a really worth intensive protection. A 



lookout man, is invaluable. This man fire in the rocks and brush may be 



acts in conjunction with the riding stubborn and cover considerable area 



patrolman and an added precaution is but it will not do a fraction of the 



thus given to areas particularly in- damage to the resources of the Forest 



fested with slashings and light burning that a small fire will do in a heavy 



enthusiasts. stand of second growth pine or on a 



Trails next claim the attention as a planting or experimental area which it 



subsidiary means of protection. The has cost a lot of money to establish and 



