28 Forest Fires axd their Prevextiox. 



Prcrjjosed La us. 



As we liave previously seen, the largest inuuber of fires are due 

 to the carelessness or indifTerence of individuals, and to the negli- 

 gence of railroads, lunibernien, and other operators of engines. In 

 order to successfully cope with this situation, Ave need: (1) Better laws 

 to control the private citizen; (2) Stricter regulations controlling the 

 railroad and other engine users; (3) A system maintained by the State, 

 or the State and counties together, to properly enforce the forest-fire 

 laws. These three features may be combined in one act, as was done in 

 the bill which was introduced into the last Legislature, or they may be 

 passed as three separate acts, as is here proposed. 



Fires Set by Private Individuals: — The present law, which has pre- 

 viously been "given, should be amended to include grassland, bvit the two 

 days written notice required should apply to woods only, or should be 

 eliminated altogether. B}'' broadening the second section to make it 

 include hunters and other persons, some approach to controlling that 

 fertile source of forest fires would be made. 



In Xew Jersey and several other States to the north and west of us, 

 the burning of woods, brush, stumps, rubbish and other material is not 

 allowed during a dry season, and in some cases throughout the year, 

 without a written permit from the proper officer. This has been found 

 to work well in preventing fires, especially the destructive early spring 

 fires. In ^N^orth Carolina, however, avc are hardly ready for such a 

 law. A law to compel all who burn material to watch it till it is 

 extinguished would seem to meet a definite need and would be more 

 easily enforced. 



The following suggested bill contains all of the above features: 



A Bill to be Extitled Ax Act to Protect the Fokests of This State fko.m 

 Fire. 



The Gericnil Assinibhi of \nrlli Cdiolhin do ninrl : 



Section 1. Tliat section tliree tlioiisiuul tlirw liuiulred and forty-six of The 

 Revisal of one thousand nine hundred and five be amended to lead as follows: If 

 any person shall set fire to any grassland, brusliland or woodland, except it he 

 his own property, or, in that case without first giving notice to all persons o.vn- 

 ing or in charge of lands adjoining to the land intended to he fired, and al-o 

 taking care to watch s\ich fire while burning and tiiking etVcclua] rare tu cx- 

 tinguish such fire before it >liail icacli any lands iieai' fi) m- adjniniiig the land 

 so fired, he shall for evfery such offense be guilty of a niisdcnieaiior and I)e fini-d 

 or imprisoned in the discretion of the court. 'Iliis -hall not jirevcnt action for 

 damages sustained by the owner of any property. 



Sec. 2. That section three thousand three hundred and forty-seven of The 

 Kevisal of one thousnnd nine hundred and five l)c anicndcd to read as follows; 



