ANNUAL RKPORT 1914 13 



men's and homesteader's cabins and in caches and tool boxes. 

 All camp equipment and tools in excess of ordinary requirements 

 are kept at headquarters and at several places of strategic import- 

 ance throughout the district. 



Jt is the usual practice to buy the food staples in quantities in 

 advance of the fire season and to keep a good stock of provisions 

 and supplies at headquarters and at several easily accessible points. 



Early in the season 1 make it a point to see that all patrolmen 

 and lookouts are well informed as to the location of men available 

 in case of emergency, such as experienced foremen, straw bosses, 

 cooks, saw filers and fire fighters. 



WEATHER 



During the winter of 1913 and 1914 we had much less snow 

 than usual and very warm weather for the time of year was ex- 

 perienced in March and April. 



The light snowfall, combined with an unusually warm March 

 and April, bared the forest floor early in the season and when set- 

 tled warm weather came on vegetation attained its growth, rip- 

 ened and died much earlier than usual. 



During the first part of the fire season we had an inch less 

 rainfall than usual, although the Coeur d'Alene and Pend 

 d'Oreille associations to the north of us enjoyed soaking rains 

 in the middle of July, which went far towards reducing their fire 

 hazard. From June 1st to September 1st the rainfall was 1.87 

 inches less than in 1913, which was practically an average season 

 insofar as precipitation is concerned. 



The average maximum temperature from June 1st to Sep- 

 tember 1st was 83.3 degrees, which is much higher than usual, 

 while the average minimum temperature was correspondingly 

 high. Our hygrodeik showed very low relative humidity through- 

 out the months of July and August. 



Streams and springs dried up to an extent never before ex- 

 perienced since I have been in Idaho. High, hot, west winds 

 blew almost continually throughout the month of August. 



DETECTION OF FIRES 



Patrol systems were carefully planned, every precaution being 

 taken to insure quick and certain communication between all 

 parts of the district. Lookout stations were established on points 

 commanding the clearest view of the surrounding country. Our 

 Headquarters is connected by telephone with all the lookout 

 stations in the district. 



Our principal lookout has always been on Elk Butte, situated 



