soil. But the adaptation has gone still farther than this. Everywhere in 

 the drier and most fire-threatened parts of the west, lodge-pole pine ap- 

 pears like magic, almost as thick as grass, where every other species has 

 been destroyed so completely as to leave little seed. One wonders 

 where it comes from. The secret is that this tree, bred by Nature to 

 hold its own by following fire, keeps many of its hard woody cones 

 on the branches almost indefinitely, to open and liberate the seed only 

 after fire has killed the tree itself. And to insure success in reclothing 

 the burn, these seedlings bear fertile cones at the early age of 7 to 

 10 years, some opening at once and others remaining sealed unless fire 

 comes again. Or observe the tamarack, which is another species 

 typically occupying the lightning-struck drier situations of Idaho and sur- 

 rounding states. For what purpose, except to withstand fire, has it been 

 obliged during innumerable centuries to develop its peculiar buttressing 

 of almost uninflammable bark at the base? 



So, as in the animal kingdom Nature has fitted some to survive by 

 means of defense and others, defenseless, by swiftness or by unusual 

 fertility, the perpetual menace of fire to the forests of the Pacific North- 

 west has determined their varying composition, form and traits. It 

 has made them what they are in their familiar majority, and has made 

 future forestry easy for us by insuring reproduction after logging with 

 little difficulty except protecting the young growth which, following its 

 heredity, seeks to occupy every opening. Yet where by accident or by 

 reason of unusual dampness of situation the menace fails to materialize, 

 provision has been made for other tree families, with other traits. Who 

 cannot see the greater resemblance of this minority to the trees of fire- 

 free regions elsewhere? And who cannot see, from the whole story as 

 both classes tell it, that the history of our Northwestern forests has been 

 flame- written from its earliest dawn? Forest fires did not come first 

 with man, nor can Nature or accident be trusted to prevent them now. 



MAN INCREASED NUMBER OF FIRES 



Yet it is true that in the long run Nature once preserved a general 

 balance. Vast acres were being fire-swept and equal areas were reforest- 

 ing. But the balance was a delicate one and the causes of fire were few. 

 Nature was satisfied with a cycle of hundreds of years. With the advent 

 of the white man, the whole system was disturbed. First came the ex- 

 plorer; then the prospector, trapper and settler. All were equally inclined 

 to regard the forest as an obstacle, often firing it purposely. The rail- 

 road followed, burning wood or soft coal without spark arresters. Fires 

 spread from the right of way until rain extinguished it or until there 

 was nothing left to burn. Later the lumber industry sprang up, but with 

 stumpage of small value and small attempt to restrain the danger caused 

 by its activities. The entire community was reckless with fire and vast 

 areas were destroyed, creating a greater hazard for the remainder by 

 reason of the fallen material and semi-dried weeds that filled such 

 openings to feed any fire that might occur. It is estimated by competent 

 authority that more timber has been destroyed by man in the Pacific 

 Northwest than has been put by him to any useful purpose. 



This was the stage of conquering the wilderness. Its value as a 

 resource was unappreciated. The fire destruction was not less than now. 

 It was immensely greater. But it went unnoticed. 



Then the situation began to change. Not only did timber begin to 

 acquire a value, but the lumber industry grew to be the chief sustaining 

 industry of the Pacific Northwest, bringing in most of its community 



