26 Forest Fires axd their Prevention. 



334G. Woods. — If any person shall set lire to any woods, except it be his own 

 property, or, in that case, without first giving notice in writing to all persons 

 owning lands adjoining to the woodlands intended to be fired, at least two days 

 before the time of firing such woods, and also taking effectual care to extinguish 

 such fire before it shall reach any vacant or patented lands near to or adjoining 

 the lands so fired, he shall, for every such offense, forfeit and pay to any person 

 who shall sue for the same fifty dollars, and be liable to any one injured in an 

 action, and sliall moreover be guilty of a misdi'ineanor. 



The law therefore forhids setting fire to Avoods, even though it be 

 one's own property, Avithont giving tAvo days notice in Avriting to adjoin- 

 ing landowners. This laAv is rarely enforced, because the "tAvo days 

 notice in writing" is considered an impractical measure, and also be- 

 cause the strong objection among most people to prosecuting their 

 neighbors acts as a deterrent. One of the most frequent causes of fire, 

 that from burning brush while clearing up ncAv grounds in the spring, is 

 not covered by this law, for the courts have held that these "new 

 ground" fires do not come within the statute. This laAv is susceptible of 

 considerable improvement and should be amended. 



Since the great extension of railroad facilities all over the State, the 

 practice of hauling farm crops and merchandise long distances to 

 market, which used to be the universal custom, has almost ceased. In 

 the rougher and more remote pai-ts of the State, hoAvever, Avhere more 

 than one daA^'s trip is required to reach the market the abandoned camp- 

 fire is still a menace. That Xorth Carolina has a laAV against leaving 

 such fires unextinguished is often not knOAvn by Avagoners, and a notice 

 quoting the folloAving section posted near frequented camping places 

 Avould often be of great advantage to the passer-by, as Avell as a safe- 

 guard to the property OAvner. 



3347. Wooflf!. from Co tup Fires. — If any wagoner or other person encamjjing 

 in the open air shall leave his camp without totally extinguishing the camp fire>;, 

 he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined 

 not exceeding fifty dollars, or imprisoned not exceeding thirty days. 



These tAvo laAvs, the most important dating back some 130 years, con- 

 stitute the present working forest-fire laAvs of Xorth Carolina. Even 

 these, hoAvever, are rarely enforced. 



In order to ascertain as nearly as possible to Avhat extent these laws 

 were being carried out, the Xorth Carolina Geological and Economic 

 Survey asked all their forest-fire correspondents the following question : 

 "Has any one, so far as you know, been prosecuted for setting fire to 

 forests in your county or township during the past year? If so, with 

 Avhat result ?" 



