PROTECTION OF FORESTS FROM FIRE 245 



Elimination of the Causes of Fires. The causes of 

 fires may be grouped under the following heads: 



(a) Sparks from locomotives; {b) sparks from saw- 

 mills, donkey engines, etc.; (c) camp-fires; (d) clearing 

 land and burning brush; (e) burning to improve pastur- 

 age; (/) careless smokers; (g) incendiarism; (h) light- 

 ning. 



Back of any practical plan of fire protection there 

 must be State fire laws and a competent organization to 

 enforce them. In many States to-day there are laws, 

 some of them fully adequate, requiring the use of spark- 

 arresters on engines, and punishing incendiarism, care- 

 lessness in clearing land, and in leaving camp-fires, etc. 

 In most States, on the other hand, organizations to carry 

 out the laws and an enlightened sentiment to support 

 them are lacking. Education of the people to the value 

 of forests and the need for their protection is necessary to 

 overcome the carelessness and ignorance that cause fires 

 to originate from camp-fires and clearing land. Vigor- 

 ous application of the laws will accomplish this result, but 

 the laws will not be vigorously enforced until there is a 

 public opinion back of them. 



For the most part, though probably not entirely, the 

 starting of fires by sparks from locomotives may be pre- 

 vented by the use of spark-arresters. If the right of way 

 is properly cleared and patroled, such occasional fires 

 as start may readily be extinguished. Railroad fires are 

 therefore unnecessary. Railroads should be held respon- 

 sible for damage from fires which they cause. 



