ERIC OUTLOOK SYSTEM 



By F. B. KNAPP 



** I'UST as scientific fire fighting is location and control of forest fires. 



ff L taking the place of the cruder New York has the most complete sys- 



^^ methods of ten years ago, so tem now in operation of any State; 



outlook stations are being located in using maps, which are, however, not 



many States throughout the country to oriented, and triangulation. New 



give quick and sure notice of fires in Hampshire has adopted the system de- 



their incipient stages. An inquiry, scribed below, and will be ready for its 



however, brings out the fact that the use for the first time this spring ; while 



methods of locating the fires when dis- other States are giving it a more tenta- 



covered are in general very rough. tive trial. 



The writer has been working on this My attention was called to a German 



problem for some years, and has found apparatus described in the Forestry 



great difficulty till lately in interesting Quarterly, volume 2, p. 253. It was 



others in it. The answers, in response designed and patented by Oberforster 



to letters and a circular recently sent Seitz; and divides the district into 90 



out, indicate, however, that many of radial parts, with a color and form 



those in charge of the suppression of scheme for blocks which are hung out 



forest fires are now fully alive to the in varying combinations to designate 



importance of more systematic meth- the direction of the fire. Also fish 



ods. horns are used which carry two or 



All but five of the States with a three miles. The area covered is with- 



forest service have been heard from, in a circle of less than two miles radius. 



In many, the work is in its infancy or The plan of the Eric Outlook Sys- 



very much restricted by lack of funds, tem is to have main outlook stations 



Indiana represents four States where manned as near as practicable and not 



the wooded areas are so small and the more than twenty-five miles apart, 



houses so close together that no sys- These are provided with an outlook 



tematic means of discovering and locat- table, 26 inches or more in diameter, 



ing fires is needed. Two replies came fixed in position, with an orienter map 



about the same time; one from the in the center, surrounded by a divided 



mountains, approving the plan for com- azimuth circle, and a panorama of the 



paratively level country; and the other country giving names and distances, 



from the plains, considering it a fine An aledade, pivoted at the center, is 



thing for mountainous districts. In directed toward a fire, discovered by 



New Jersey the telephone is found suf- the marked eye or field glasses ; and 



ficient; and in Washington patrols and a thread is thereby stretched across 



telephone prove to be most effective, the map, circle, and panorama to show 



because the atmosphere is obscured in the line of sight. If the fire is in plain 



the dry season by smoke from land view it is located by the panorama and 



which is being cleared. Most of the map. When the smoke rises between 



other States, as well as some private two ridges it is determined within cer- 



organizations, either have outlook sta- tain limits by the panorama and in di- 



tions established, are now installing rection by the circle. When seen 



them, or are making plans and looking vaguely, or over a ridge with a broad 



forward to such a system as soon as unseen expanse beyond, the direction 



their legislatures give them the neces- is obtained by the circle, the exact lo- 



sary laws and money. cation to be determined by tying in 



The national forest service locates from another station or substation, 

 fires f roi-n two stations by compass and Secondary stations, manned at times 

 triangulation ; and will soon issue a of special danger, are located on inter- 

 bulletin by Mr. D. W. Adams, on the mediate elevations and are supplied 



406 



