THE FIRE PROTECTION ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS IN 1914 49 



icr. It is an interesting fact that during 

 he last 5 or 6 years, the ratio between 

 he damage to green timber and that to 

 eproduction has steadily decreased, 

 n 1909 the damage to green timber was 

 bout 65% and that to reproduction 

 5% of the total. In 1913 timber 

 amage was 40% and reproduction 

 amage 60%. This year the ratio will 

 e about as in 1913. 



The measure of efficiency of the fire 

 'rotective work on the National Forests 

 hould be the value of the property 

 mich was threatened and which would 

 i all probability have been destroyed 

 : the expenditure in protection had not 

 icon made by the Department. While 

 very possible means is taken to prevent 

 .res from being started, it is absolutely 

 ssential that such fires as are started 

 ie extinguished as soon as possible, 

 or under conditions such as prevailed 

 uring the past season almost any one 

 f the fires which were put out by the 

 forest Service was a potential disastrous 

 onflagration. In Montana and Idaho 

 lone the value of specific bodies of 

 imber which were threatened by the 

 pproximately 2,000 fires which started 

 nd were put out, aggregated the enorm- 

 us sum of over $59,000,000. It was 

 i this section that the largest amount of 

 loney had to be spent to prevent a 

 ecurrence of the great disaster of 1910. 

 n Oregon and Washington, the 1,200 

 .res which were handled by the Depart- 

 lent threatened upwards of $24,000,000 

 /orth of timber. And these figures do 

 .ot include the value of nonmerchant- 

 ble timber and young growth on about 

 ,000,000 acres of land, and several 

 lillion dollars worth of ranch and other 

 rivate property which lay in the path 

 f the threatening conflagrations. Fig- 

 res are not yet at hand of the precise 

 mount of damage threatened by fires 

 i California and other National Forest 

 Itates. These data will, however, add 

 irge amounts to the total value of the 

 iroperty threatened and saved. 



There were two lives lost, one in 

 .lontana and one in the Pacific north- 

 zest. In each case the man was 

 truck by a falling tree. It will be 

 ecalled that in 1910, 78 fire fighters 

 /ere killed. There were this vear a 



number of injuries but chiefly of a 

 minor character. 



REASONS FOR THE FINE RECORD 



The explanation of the success in 

 preventing a great disaster during the 

 past season is given in the single term 

 "preparedness." Within the last four 

 years great forward strides have been 

 made in equipping the forests and in the 

 organization of the force. In the first 

 place, during that time there have been 

 added 1,368 miles of roads, 9,617 miles 

 of trail, 12,000 miles of telephones, 300 

 new fully equipped lookout stations, 695 

 headquarter buildings, and many other 

 improvements. The forests have had 

 a great increase of equipment in the way 

 of tools and tool caches, portable 

 telephones, tents, etc. Transportation 

 facilities have been provided either by 

 purchase of pack horses or arranging 

 for hire of animals and automobiles. 



Fully as great a factor, however, has 

 been the organization of the force. 

 During the past four years careful fire 

 plans have been developed for all the 

 forests, the protective force has been 

 reorganized so as to have available a 

 maximum patrol during the dry season, 

 the system of detection and patrol has 

 been intensified, arrangements have 

 been perfected to secure at short notice 

 labor for fire fighting, a system has been 

 developed for officering the fire fighters 

 by experienced foremen, and the force 

 has been trained in the swift establish- 

 ment of headquarter camps, with the 

 necessary equipment and supplies. The 

 fire organization worked with admirable 

 efficiency when the test came this year. 



As a single illustration, a ranger in 

 one of the Oregon Forests stationed two 

 miles from town received a report by 

 telephone from a Service lookout of a 

 fire 12 miles away. He saddled his 

 horse, rode to town, secured four auto- 

 mobiles and 20 men and was on the 

 fire line within 48 minutes after receiving 

 word about the fire. Instances of 

 similar and equally swift work could be 

 recounted in large numbers. 



As showing the increased efficiency of 

 the organization over former years may 

 be cited the results on the Colville 

 Forest. In 1910, with 62 fires, 155,200 



