oecond and third days of the fire, rangers an'l fire fighters 

 labored unceasingly to control the blaze. They succeeded 

 except in the head of a fork of Cold Water Canyon where the 

 fire was burning fiercely on very steep ground covered with 

 a dense growth of nonzanita and thorn brush and where there 

 was very little dirt to use in fighting the flanes. Forest 

 officers and fire fighters who have been over this ground 

 report that the difficulties confronting the fire fighters 

 at this point can not be understood by any one who has not 

 actually* been over the ground. Friday night, when the fire 

 had been burning for a trifle over three lays, a fire line 

 was almost completed around the lower end and sides of the 

 fire. Before the circle could be closed, a high north wind 

 started to blow and scattered fire in new directions, undoing 

 nuch that had been gained "luring the previous day's fight. 

 The north wind blew for only two hours but in thin time fire 

 was so scattered that when the normal southwest wind again 

 started up the firo was able to spread rapidly, despite the 

 desperate efforts of the hundreds of men then on the line. 

 North winds blew again at intervals during Saturday night, 

 Sunday, and Sunday night. Each time the north wind blew, the 

 fire wao blown backward into positions from which, when the 

 southwest winds returned, it could make uncontrollable runhea 

 up the steep front of the San Bernardino range. By Sunday 

 night the fire had spread to such size that the task of working 

 the enormous length of the fire line was not completed until 

 Monday, August 7, almost two weeks after the fire started. 



When the fire started, lir. R. H. Charlton, the 

 Supervisor of the Angeles national Forest, was on one of his 

 regular trips of inspection and field supervision. He promptly 

 got in touch with hisoubordinates who were in charge of the 

 fight, but since they repeatedly reported that they expected 

 no difficulty in conquering the fire, Mr. Charlton did not leave 

 his regular work for several days. Deputy supervisor Long 

 was in Los Angeles in charge of the Supervisor's office when 

 the fire occurred. When the fire had boon burning twenty- 

 eight hours he realized that the situation was grave enough 

 to demand his personal attention and immediately started for 

 San Bernardino to take personal charge of the work. 



The organization of the fight at this fire was about 

 the same as usually effected when large stubborn fires are being 

 fought. On occasions of this kind, red tape is never a bar to 

 prompt and effective action. At this fire men were employed, 

 supplies purchased, and ovory sort of transportation arranged 

 for both men and supplies without the dealy of any system of 

 requisitions or approval of higher officers of the Service. 

 The standing instructions to Supervisors and Rangers are to 

 incur any liabilities necensary for the controlling of any fire 

 on National Forest lands. At no time in the history of the 

 San Bernardino fore was there any hesitation IB securing men 

 or curplioo because nf the expense or lack of authority of men 

 on the ground to incur it. 



-27- 



