ANNUAL REPORT 1914 21 



year the fire was scattered so badly that we could have used 50 

 or 60 pack horses to good advantage. It is almost impossible to 

 hire suitable horses in this district. As it costs very little to keep 

 them I think the association should own at least 30 pack and sad- 

 dle horses. At present we have 21 head, some of which will prob- 

 ably not survive the winter. 



More tools and 'more grub should be cached early in the 

 season, especially in the country north and east of Elk River, and 

 a couple of cabins should be put up for that purpose. 



Respectfully, 

 F. W. MALLORY, Chief Fire Warden. 



REPORT ON BOViLL FIRE, ST. JOE NATIONAL 

 FOREST 



PALOUSE DIVISION 



TOWNSHIPS 41 AND 42 N., RANGES 1 E. AND 1 W. B. 

 M. WITHIN POTLATCH TIMBER PROTECTIVE AS- 

 SOCIATION'S AREA INCLUSIVE DATES OF FIRES, 

 JULY 20 TO SEPT. 6, 1914. 



By E. A. HOLCOMB. 



As nearly as can be determined, the causes of fires in this 

 locality in the past have been evenly divided bet wen human 

 agencies and the elements. It is a notable fact that during bad 

 fire seasons a large percentage of lightning fire occurred through- 

 out the country. This is entirely due to the fact that a dry sea- 

 son is necessary for a bad fire season and lightning flashes strik- 

 ing under j:he conditions of a dry season bear fruits in fire, while 

 in a reasonably wet year a large majority of the fires which do 

 start is the result of human agencies. This may be explained 

 somewhat by the fact that by far the largest percentage of travel 

 in and about the woods is over trails, roads and in the main over 

 the more open and consequently more easily traveled routes, 

 which, by reason of being open, dry out quickly and furnish in- 

 flammable places for the careless smoker's match, cigar or cigar- 

 ette stump. Campers unfamiliar with the fire hazard are also 

 more likely to camp and build camp fires in the more open places. 

 Lightning flashes under the conditions of an ordinarily wet year, 

 .unless they happen to strike in an open air and sun-dried situation, 

 will ordinarily not set fire, or will quickly die out for want of in- 

 flammable material. Two of the three fires covered by this re- 



