Canadian Forestrij Journal, Fcbiuari/, li)l7 



969 



To maintain the supply the na- wholesale cutting of trees. The axe 

 tion is making huge inroads into is making a clean sweep of whole 

 its own standing timber. It is im- woods. There are only three mil- 

 possible to travel i)y rail through lion acres of wooded land in tiic Unil- 

 parts of Scotland wilhoul seeing the ed Kingdom at the present time. 





Better Equipment to Cope with Fires i 



(To the Editor, Canadian Forestry Journal.) 



Fire Protection is distinct from 

 Forestry, but necessary to the latter 

 in protecting the w^ork from destruc- 

 tion by fire. If we are to secure 

 an efficient fire protection organiza- 

 tion, it is necessary that we specialize 

 in this class of work, appointing an 

 expert in charge with full authority 

 to administer the Fire Act, suggest 

 and advocate amendments, draw up 

 plans to meet the varied conditions 

 in each district, to give lectures and 

 advise, and who would hold a judicial 

 investigation in connection with every 

 serious conflagration. 



The appointing of a Fire Com- 

 missioner with the above authority 

 would have a beneficial effect, give 

 powerful support to the heads of 

 Departments and be a thorn in the 

 side of a feeble administration. 



The building of lookout towers on 

 high ground equipped with long range 

 field glasses, for the purpose of de- 

 tecting and locating fires in the in- 

 cipient stage, and connected by tele- 

 phone to the various Ranger Stations 

 so that action to have the fire ex- 

 tinguished at short notice can be 

 taken, is an advance in the right 

 direction. The ecjuipment however, 

 of these lookout stations, might be 

 improved by adding the heliograph 

 and flashlight s^-stem of signalling 

 and the procuring of a competent 

 operator, and in this connection may 

 I suggest that a fully qualified re- 

 turned soldier of the intelligence 

 department or Engineers might be 

 obtained. 



All working parties, such as tele- 

 phone and trail gangs, also patrol- 

 men, should be equipped when in the 



field with heliograph and flashlight 

 so that their assistance in case of fire 

 might be secured without delay. 



The cutting of trails branching out 

 from lookout towers to inaccessible 

 areas to facilitate the transportation 

 of fire fighting gangs and equipment 

 to the scene of action is still another 

 step towards efficiency. The con- 

 struction of these trails and the mode 

 of transportation leaves much to be 

 desired and is not in line with the 

 method of detection and communica- 

 tion. The trails on high lands 

 through heavy timber belts should 

 be so constructed that fire patrol by 

 motor cycle and transportation by 

 automobile would be possible. On 

 lower lying areas where the timber 

 warrants the expenditure, a narrow 

 gauge track with power speeder for 

 patrol and transportation is neces- 

 sary. Where it is only possible to 

 use horses, the trail should be made 

 to accommodate a tandem of light 

 drivers. 



After locating a fire from observa- 

 tion post, notifying nearest ranger 

 station by telephone or heliograph, 

 the next step would be to make pro- 

 vision for a system of rapid trans- 

 portation. The reaching of a fire 

 after discovery in the incipient stage, 

 and before it develops into serious 

 proportions, should be the object of 

 every fire organization. To sum up, 

 speed and modern appliances, as 

 advocated, by the leading authorities 

 of our city fire departments for pro- 

 tection of property, are just as neces- 

 sary in the protecting of our forests. 



— T. McNaughton. 



