FOREST FIRES IX NORTH CAROLI^-A. 25 



such person or persons forthwith before a justice of the peace or other officer 

 having jurisdiction, who shall proceed without delay to hear, try, and deter- 

 mine the matter. During a season of drought the State Forester may estab- 

 lish a fire patrol in any township, and in case of fire in or threatening any 

 forest or woodland the township or district forest warden shall attend forth- 

 with and use all necessary means to confine and extinguish such fire. The 

 said forest warden may summon any male resident of the township between 

 the ages of 18 and 45 years to assist in extinguishing fires, and may require 

 the use of horses and other property needed for such purpose ; any person so 

 summoned, and who is physically able, who refuses or neglects to assist or to 

 allow the use of horses, wagons, or other material required, shall be liable to 

 a penalty of not less than $5 nor more than $50. No action for trespass shall 

 lie against any forest warden or person summoned by him for crossing or 

 \\orking upon lands of another in connection with his duties as forest warden. 

 Sec. 7. Forest wardens shall receive compensation from the Geological 

 Board at a rate of not to exceed 20 cents per hour for the time actually en- 

 gaged in the performance of their duties ; and reasonable expenses for equip- 

 ment, transportation, or food supplies incurred in fighting or extinguishing 

 any fire, according to an itemized statement to be rendered the State Forester 

 every month, and approved by him. Forest wardens shall render to the State 

 Forester a statement of the services rendered by the men employed by them 

 or their district wardens, as provided in this act, within one month of the 

 date of service, which said bill shall show in detail the amount and character 

 of the service performed, the exact duration thereof, the name of each person 

 employed, and any other information required by the State Forester. All 

 accounts of the forest wardens must be duly sworn to before a justice of the 

 peace, notary public, or other oflSicer qualified to witness such papers within 

 the county in which the expenses were incurred. If said bill be duly approved 

 by the State Forester, it shall be paid by direction of the Geological Board out 

 of the funds hereinafter provided for. 



Sec. 8. If any person shall intentionally set fire to any grass land, brush 

 land, or woodland, except it be his own property, or in that case without first 

 giving notice to all persons owning or in charge of lauds adjoining the land 

 intended to be fired, and also taking care to watch such fire while burning and 

 taking effectual care to extinguish such fire before it shall reach any lands 

 near to or adjoining the lands so fired, he shall for every such offense be guilty 

 of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than .$10 nor more than $50, or 

 imprisoned not exceeding thirty days. This shall not prevent action for dam- 

 ages sustained by the owner of any property from such fires. 



Sec. 9. Any wagoner, hunter, camper, or other person who shall kindle a 

 camp-fire or shall authorize another to kindle such fire, unless all combustible 

 material for the space of 10 feet surrounding the place where said fire is 

 kindled has been removed, or shall leave a cami>flre without fully extinguish- 

 ing it, or who shall accidentally or negligently by the use of any torch, gun, 

 match, or other instrumentality, or in any manner whatever start any fire 

 upon any grass land, brush land, or woodland without fully extinguishing the 

 same, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished 

 by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $50, or imprisoned not exceeding 

 thirty days. 



