FIRE PROTECTION IN CALIFORNIA 



681 



MR. FRANK SCHWABACHER ON INSPECTION TRIP. 

 SHOWING CALIFORNIA RED FIR PULPWOOD LUMBER IN BACKGROUND. 



the exact form which the cooperative 

 work should take and to forecast the 

 methods which would give the greatest 

 protection for the least cost, it seemed 

 best to put the spirit and main essen- 

 tials of the cooperation into the adopted 

 form, leaving the details to be settled 

 as they come up, by mutual understand- 

 ing between the company and the Serv- 

 ice. This has worked out most satis- 

 factorily, for not the slightest hitch nor 

 misunderstanding has occurred since 

 the beginning of the cooperation, and 

 the work throughout has been followed 

 with keen interest on both sides. 



After the informal agreement had 

 been in force for one season the value 

 of having a fire plan for the organiza- 

 tion of the cooperative protection work 

 became evident. In 1910 Forest Assis- 

 tant J. A. Mitchell was detailed for 

 this and constructed a plan which, with 

 some later revisions, has been closelv 



followed. Its cost was borne by the 

 Company but since its value extends 

 over a long period the cost has not 

 been noticeable from year to year. 

 Each winter the protection work ac- 

 complished during the past season is 

 reviewed by Supervisor Bigelow of the 

 Tahoe National Forest and Mr. Schwa- 

 bacher of the Company, and details of 

 the work for the coming season are 

 discussed and determined. TW T O patrol- 

 men and a lookout working in coordi- 

 nation with the regular Forest Service 

 organization for the district form an 

 adequate force for present needs. The 

 Service maintains a launch patrol on 

 Lake Tahoe and has a ranger and 

 a fire guard throughout the fire season 

 on that part of the Tahoe Forest which 

 is adjacent to the Company's holdings. 

 A lookout is established on a centrally 

 located peak at an elevation of 8,600 

 feet, overlooking at least 90 per cent of 



