24 FOREST FIRES IN NORTH CAROLINA. 



THE NEW FOREST FIRE LAW.* 



AX ACT TO PROTECT THE FOKESTS OF THE STATE FROM FIRE. 



The General Asscmhly of North Carolina do enact: 



Section 1. That the State Geological Board may take such action as it 

 may deem necessary to provide for the prevention and control of forest tires 

 in any and all parts of this State, #nd it is hereby authorized to enter into an 

 agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States for the pro- 

 tection of the forested watersheds of streams in this State. 



Sec. 2. That the forester of the State Geological and Economic Survey, who 

 shall be called State Forester, and shall be ex officio State Forest Warden, 

 may appoint, with the approval of the Geological Board, one township forest 

 warden and one or more district forest wardens in each township of the State 

 in which the amount of forest land and the risks from forest tires shall, in his 

 judgment, make it advisable and necessary. 



Sec 3. The State Forester, as State Forest Warden, shall have supervision 

 of township and district forest wardens, shall instruct them in their duties, 

 issue such regulations and instructions to the township and district forest 

 wardens as he may deem necessary for the purposes of this act, and cause 

 violations of the laws regarding forest fires to be prosecuted. 



Sec. 4. Forest wardens shall have charge of measures for controlling forest 

 fires; shall make arrests for violation of forest laws; shall post along high- 

 ways and in other conspicuous places, copies of the forest fire laws and warn- 

 ings against fires, which shall be supplied by the State Forester; shall patrol 

 during dry and dangerous seasons under the direction of the State Forester, 

 and shall perform such other acts and duties as shall be considered necessary 

 by the State Forester for the protection of the forests from fire. The town- 

 ship forest warden of the township in which a fire occurs shall within ten 

 days make such a report thereof to the State Forester as may be prescribed 

 by him. The township forest warden of the township in which a fire occurs 

 .shall within ten days make such a report thereof to the State Forester as may 

 be prescribed by him. Each district forest warden shall promptly report to 

 township wardens any fire in his district. 



Sec. 5. Any i^erson who shall maliciously or willfully destroy, deface, re- 

 move, or disfigure any sign, poster, or warning notice, posted by order' of the 

 State Forester, under the provisions of this act or any other act which may 

 be passed for the purpose of protecting the forests in this State from fire, 

 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punishable by 

 a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $.^0. or imprisoned not exceeding 

 thirty daj'S. 



Sec G. Forest wardens shall prevent and extinguish forest fires in their 

 respective townships and enforce all statutes of this State now in force or that 

 hereafter may be enacted for the protection of forests and woodlands from 

 fire, and they shall have control and direction of all persons and apparatus 

 while engaged in extinguishing forest fires. Any forest warden may arrest, 

 without a warrant, any person or persons taken by him in the act of violating 

 any of the said laws for the protection of forests and woodlands, and bring 



♦Chapter 243, Public Laws 1015. Sec Tress BuU. 147. N. C. Gool. and Econ. Survev. 



