SPECIALIZED FOREST PROTECTION 7 



protection forces in the United States. They are a most picturesque unit, perform- 

 ing a little-known but valuable service under most unusual and often trying con- 

 ditions. 



For the most part lookout stations are established on the tops of prominent 

 mountain peaks; mount Hood in the Cascades, mount Fairview in the Rockies, even 

 the active volcano, Lassen peak, in northern California, and scores of other mountains 

 throughout the Western States are used for lookout purposes. Several have also 

 been established in British Columbia by both the Dominion and provincial forest 

 services. In the Eastern States, notably in New England, a very extensive develop- 

 ment of the lookout system has taken place. Practically the entire timbered area of 

 these states, and large parts of many others as far west as Minnesota, are watched b," 

 permanent lookout men throughout the fire season. The location and character of 

 the lookout stations is determined by the nature of the topography. If suitable 

 sharp-topped peaks are not available towers must be erected. Lookout towers as high 

 as 150 ft. have been built but ordinarily the standard steel towers which run from 

 30 to 80 ft. high are satisfactory. 



Satisfactory lookout service in a specialized organization demands the continuous 

 presence of the lookout man at his station throughout the daylight hours ssven days 

 in the week. This can be accomplished only by making the lookout station and 

 dwelling-house one and the same. Accordingly a type of building has been especially 

 designed for this work which is so arranged that no matter where the lookout may 

 be while in the station he can always have a clear and unobstructed view of the 

 entire area for which he is responsible. His duty, therefore, is easily defined. It is 

 to remain at his station continuously throughout the day and maintain a constant 

 watch over the area within his range of vision, noting all indications of fire, determin- 

 ing 1heir location ,and reporting immediately to the proper unit of the control force. 

 For the purpose of aiding him to fulfil his function he is provided with 'certain 

 mechanical devices. These include tinted glasses to protect his eyes and aid him to 

 distinguish faint smoke at long range, field-glasses with which to examine suspicious- 

 looking smudges, a special form of lookout map correctly oriented, a fire locator (or 

 alidade) for determining the bearing of a smoke, and finally a telephone or other 

 means of communication by which he may report without delay. Rapid means of 

 communication are fundamental to successful lookout service. For this purpose the 

 forest telephone is universally preferred', but other means are sometimes used for 

 reasons of expediency and are nearly always maintained in order to guard against 

 temporary isolation of the station should the telephone line be broken. 



Wherever a region is fully covered by lookout stations, the precise location of a 

 fire within a distance of a fraction of a mile may be quickly secured by the simple 

 process of intersecting from two or more stations. Where the fire is visible from 

 only one station, other methods of location, slightly less exact, have been devised. 

 Many difficulties in the establishment and maintenance of dwellings on the high peaks 

 of the western mountains have been encountered and many ingenious devices resorted 

 to in overcoming them which it is beyond the scope of this manual to discuss. Also, 

 it is impossible to discuss the human factor in lookout service which is in itself an 

 element of much importance. 



Section 8 Suppression of Forest Fires 



A fire having been discovered and reported by the lookout man, the third element 

 of the specialized staff is brought into action. This is the unit whose main function 

 is Suppression. The title " smoke chaser " applied to this unit adequately indicates 

 the nature of the service. The " smoke chaser " corresponds to the fireman of a 

 city fire brigade. His duty is to remain within call of his telephone bell or other 

 communicating apparatus and upon being advised of the location of a fire to proceed 

 to it by the shortest route in the least possible time and to extinguish it. Here, 



