FOEEST FIRES IX XORTH CAROLIXA. 



15 



United States Fore.ster Young and scattered over the district threatened by 

 the leaping flames. Fighting with grim determination and never giving up 

 hope for a single moment, this force finally confined the spreading flames in a 

 certain area, although at times in the early morning it seemed that every resi- 

 dence in a radius of several miles would be destroyed." 



Of a Xovember fire in the same region, another newspaper says : 



"Forest fires which have been raging in various sections of the mountains 

 around Black Mountain during the greater part of the week are reported to 

 have done considerable damage, the greater number of the outbreaks being re- 

 ported from the Craggy Mountains. For a while fear was entertained that 

 the flames would get on the immense watershed holdings of the city of Ashe- 

 ville. but reports from the intake are to the effect that but little damage 

 has been suffered by the municipality. Mr. Bishop of Marion, representing 

 the Government, is in charge of a force of 100 men in the Bee Tree section, 

 and back-firing has been resorted to in checking flames." 



RESULTS OF FEDERAL PROTECTIOX IX XORTH CAROLIXA. 



A Striking tribute to the value of organized fire protection is brought 

 out by some figures in Table 6. It is seen that the average area burnt 

 over by each fire in the mountain region during the past year was exactly 

 half the average for the past six years, while in the other regions of the 

 State there has been only a comparatively small reduction. The only 

 way to account for this is that the assistance and example of the Federal 

 forest officers have had a decided eft'ect in reducing the amount of burnt 

 land areas. 



This explanation is supported by the figures compiled by the forest 

 officers themselves : 



Table 8.— FORE.ST FIRES IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN PURCHASE 

 AREAS IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1914. 



Totals ; 224,694 



