REPORT OF FIRE COMMITTEE 



Coeur d'Alene Timber Protective 

 Association 



SEASON OF 1914 



Gentlemen : At the close of the fire season of 1914, in 

 making our annual report, we can perhaps not congratulate our 

 members so much upon the low cost of our operation or the 

 slight losses sustained as a whole, but we feel that they are to 

 be congratulated upon the loss, which is comparatively slight 

 compared with that of the season of 1910, and this slight loss 

 is in a large measure due to the organization and efficiency of 

 the Assoication. 



The fire season of 1914 began early. On account of the 

 light snowfall during the winter of 1913-14, and the early 

 melting of the snows, the woods were almost entirely free 

 from snow early in April, and in the lower altitudes in our 

 district, were quite dry during that month. During May there 

 was but slight rainfall, and June was much drier than the 

 average June in this locality. In fact, by the first of July we 

 were becoming quite worried over the situation. However, 

 on July 4th a gentle rain fell over the entire district, lasting 

 several hours, which moistened the forest covering to such an 

 extent that danger was over for the time. But this rain was 

 followed by a long period of extremely hot weather, with hot, 

 dry winds which rapidly dried out the ground, and this weather 

 continued without a break until August 17th, the only redeem- 

 ing feature being the lack of extremely high winds. 



During this period, from July 4th to August 17th, a great 

 many fires were started from various causes, nearly all of which 

 were controlled without heavy expense and with practically 

 no losses. On August 17th, after twenty-four hours of east 

 wind, it began to rain, and for about two hours there was every 

 indication that we were to receive a weather breaker in the 

 shape of a continued rainfall. This, however, did not ma- 

 terialize, although the northern portion of our district was pretty 



