FIRE GUARD ON PATROL 



of these having been caused by light- 

 ning and ranchers burning slashings 

 Two arrests for failure to secure per- 

 mit before burnings have been made. 

 With heavy dews and cooler weather 

 the fire-fighting forces controlled all of 

 the fires. 



Montana reports an extremely dry 

 and dangerous year. A large number 

 of fires have occurred on Government 

 and private land necessitating the em- 

 ployment of large crews of fire fight- 

 ers. Numerous lightning fires have oc- 

 curred and though all fires have been 

 promptly detected and fought, the sea- 

 son will not be one without loss of 

 green timber. 



Incomplete reports from California 

 indicate that conditions continue more 



favorable than last year, and that fire 

 losses have been light. 



The absence of future damaging fires 

 will mark 11)14 as the most successful 

 season, taking conditions into account, 

 that has ever been experienced by lire 

 protection agencies. Cooperative patrol 

 has everywhere shown its efficiency and 

 preparations to meet a bad year which 

 have been going forward the past two 

 favorable seasons, have helped during 

 the present dangerous year. Compara- 

 tive absence of East winds on tli;- 

 Pacific Coast has been the only factor 

 favorable to the work of fire suppres- 

 sion this season, which in many sec- 

 tions is the driest since Weather Bu- 

 reau records have been kept. Cost of 

 protection will, of necessity, be high 

 in most localities. 



THE FIRE GUARD ON PATROL 



(With apologies to Danny Deever.) 



"What are the bioomin' boxes for?" said the Fire Guard on patrol, 



"To drop a note, to drop a note," the Forest Ranger said. 



"W T hat makes them look so big, so big?" said the Fire Guard on patrol. 



"So they can hold a bushel o' notes," the Forest Ranger said. 



"For you've got to ride around, around, a-lookin' for fires each day, 

 You've sure got to hump yourself, if you want to draw the pay- 

 This ain't no foolish outin' job, so I heard the Super say, 

 For you've got to visit the mail box every morning." 



"W 7 hat makes the country look so blue?" said the Fire Guard on patrol. 



"It's forest smoke, it's forest smoke," the Forest User said. 



"What makes the Rangers ride so hard ?" said the Fire Guard on patrol. 



"To reach a fire, to reach a fire," the Forest User said. 



"They're fightin' forest' fires, they're whippin' 'em around, 

 They're fightin' 'em like devils, they're beatin' em to the ground, 

 And they'll put you through your paces if they catch you loafin' 'round, 

 For you've got to visit the mail box every morning." 



"What's that so black against the sun?" said the Fire Guard on patrol. 



"It's forest fires, you bioomin' it," the Forest Ranger said. 



"What's that that crackles o'er head?" said the Fire Guard on patrol. 



"It's fallin' trees, it's fallin' trees," the Forest Ranger said. 



"For the Forest's goin' up in smoke, you can see it fade away, 

 WVre all goin' to jack our jobs, for itr don't need the pay- 

 Oh, the Fire Guards are shakin', and they'll get their time today- 

 For they didn't visit the mail box every morning." 



/. D. G. 



