FIRE PROTECTION OX THE OZARK NATIONAL FOREST 



cruiser's field notes, which are copied 

 on forms while in the field. On large 

 tracts the specific report for a 40 or a 

 section is supplemented by a general 

 report covering the tract as a whole 

 and taking up in detail the quality of 

 the timber, the cost of logging and the 

 general desirability of the tract. This 

 general report is of great value and 

 often covers the ground so thoroughly 



that the detailed reports are not con- 

 sulted. 



With the increase in the value of 

 timber there is a growing recognitinn 

 of the fact that timber estimating must 

 be put on a more scientific basis. Up 

 to this time, however, efforts to make it 

 conform to certain prescribed theories 

 have not been entirely successful. 



FIRE PROTECTION ON THE OZARK NATIONAL 



FOREST 



BY FRANCIS KIEFER, Forest Supervisor 



UXDER this same title there ap- 

 peared an article in the August, 

 1912, number of AMERICAN 

 FORESTRY, a description of the 

 fire protection system installed on the 

 Ozark National Forest. It is the pur- 

 pose of this short paper to briefly dis- 

 cuss its results. 



To summarize the scheme, the forest 

 supplied with ten towers, is divided 

 into six ranger's districts, which are in 

 turn subdivided into fire-fighting units 

 in accordance with natural and arti- 

 ficial features such as ridges, streams 

 and roads. In each unit a reliable set- 

 tler is chosen who is well situated for 

 quickly reaching any fire which may be 

 reported to him either by the ranger or 

 tower lookout. This fire-fighter is sup- 

 plied with fire rakes, sprinkling buck- 

 ets and wooden brooms, required for 

 extinguishing. In this way the regular 

 force, which on account of limited ap- 

 propriations is kept small, is supple- 

 mented in time of danger. 



After a year's trial, the system has 

 shown its value to be in the ability of 

 the district rangers to (1) place fire- 

 fighters at a fire in its incipiency, (2) to 

 relieve themselves of attending every 

 small fire, thus saving themselves for 

 the more critical situations. In the 

 Ozark region fires are numerous, due 

 to incendiarism growing from an old 

 custom of the settlers to burn annually 

 to "improve the range," "destroy var- 

 ments," "improve health conditions," 

 and kindred superstitious reasons. 



The direct benefit of the first feature 

 of value in the system is that the acre- 

 age burned over annually is largely re- 

 duced although the number of fires has 

 not been diminished. This is shown by 

 the following extracts from annual re- 

 ports : 



Presumably the number of fires is greater in 1919 

 than in 1911, because all fires were discovered and 

 eported, while in 1911 under the riding patrol system 

 some fires were not discovered. 



The one great fault of the system 

 has proven itself to be the difficulty to 

 procure a reliable fire-fighter for each 

 fire-fighting unit. This weakness, how- 

 ever, is expected to be remedied in 1913 

 through a chief fire-fighter whose sole 

 duty it will be to maintain a strict vigi- 

 lance in troublesome units. 



The speedy action which is obtained 

 by the towers in locating fires and 

 sending men to them is shown by the 

 following : 



While setting forth the foregoing re 

 suits of the protective system it is op- 



