58 FORESTRY 



VII. FIRE PROTECTION. 



It is always necessary, and often far more important, 

 to keep fire out of a cut-over tract, either after the brush 

 burning or altogether. Eeproduction will surely be des- 

 troyed by fires and the most favorable opportunity to 

 secure tree seedlings will be lost. Other kinds of vegeta- 

 tion, as grass, weeds and worthless brush, at once come 

 up in clearings, and these will, by sprouting seeds and 

 root growth, survive fires while the seedlings will not. 

 A plan for fire protection must be adopted as the most 

 vital measure in any attempt to grow timber. State laws 

 are a great help in securing the prevention of fires. But 

 the methods of protection consist of employing men to 

 patrol tracts and of constructing fire-breaks. Of the two 

 more can be accomplished at less expense by a patrol. 

 Most fires are started carelessly, and the presence of a 

 paid ranger whose duty is to inform persons crossing the 

 tract, of the necessity for caution in the use of fire, will 

 reduce the risk greatly. Again, fires under most circum- 

 stances start slowly, and the prompt discovery of a blaze 

 by the patrol gives a single man a chance to put it out 

 without help. Should one get beyond his control, the 

 ranger is able to summon help. Telephone communica- 

 tion is almost indispensable on large tracts where help 

 is scarce. The whole purpose of the work should be pre- 

 vention and suppression of fires before they have time 

 to get beyond control. 



Fire Fighting. 



In fighting a fire, tools are a necessity. A man with- 

 out a weapon of attack is helpless. It is possible to cut 

 brush and beat out a blaze, but this is a very insufficient 

 substitute. In loose soils the long handled shovel is best. 

 With this, sand can be thrown on the fire. Rakes, in open 

 flat forest, or hoes on rough brushy or rocky ground, are 



