22 POTLATCH TIMBER PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION 



port were undoubtedly started by lightning. The main fire, 

 however, was possibly of incendiary origin. 



Considerable effort has been put forth by the Potlatch Tim- 

 ber Protective Association and the Potlatch Lumber Company 

 to prevent fires. Posters and placards, showing graphically and 

 in figures the yearly loss from fires to the community, and giving 

 warning as to the danger of carelessness with camp fires, matches, 

 cigar and cigarette stumps, have been distributed over this sec- 

 tion of Idaho for the past four years. It is impossible to travel 

 within the boundaries of the Potlatch Timber Protective Associa- 

 tion's area by rail, wagon road or trail without constantly seeing 

 on all sides placards and posters warning the traveller, camper, 

 hunter and fisherman of the danger of fire and appealing to him 

 for his co-operation in the prevention of 'fires. 



The Fallon Fire Law has done much to prevent fires in Idaho, 

 by requiring that all slashing be disposed of before the opening 

 of each fire season. The Potlatch Lumber Company has used a 

 great deal of care in keeping this slashing cleaned up, never al- 

 lowing a slashed area to lie over. This law also regulates the 

 season for slash burning through the State Fire Warden and his 

 deputies. 



The patrol system of the association is similar to that of the 

 Forest Service, i. e., primary control is from lookouts supple- 

 mented by patrolmen over trails and roads. (Patrol on roads 

 and trails corresponds to that portion of fixed patrol in the For- 

 est Service which patrols trails frequented by campers and through 

 settled portions of the country where brush fires are likely to oc- 

 cur.) The entire organization is under the supervision of a Chief 

 Fire Warden, empowered to appoint any number of deputies he 

 may desire. His headquarters are at Elk River, which point is 

 centrally located within the boundaries of the association area, 

 transportation facilities being taken into consideration. Patrolmen 

 are hired with the idea of securing the best possible material avail- 

 able. Local men who are well acquainted with the country, condi- 

 tions and people seem to be given a preference. This class is supple- 

 mented somewhat by students from the University of Idaho, most 

 of them being students in the School of Forestry. This last class 

 of material makes an ideal combination with the practical woods- 

 man who knows the country and local conditions. The patrolman 

 on this particular area was a Forest School student from the Uni L 

 versity of Idaho, working either the second or third year as pa- 

 trolman for the association. I spent two days on the burned- 

 over area with him and found that in addition to his natural qual- 

 ifications as a woodsman he was alive to the general fire situation 

 of the country, chock-full of energy and really thinking of his 

 work and of the possibilities of better fire protection. The super- 



