THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



615 



TO PROTECT FORESTS FROM DEVASTATING FIRES 



By HENRY S. GRAVES, UNITED STATES FORESTER 



THE losses from forest fires this year will be greater 

 both as to number of people perished in them and the 

 amount of timber destroyed than at any previous year. 



In the lake states the summer fires which followed the 

 late spring season are the worst ever known in that re- 

 gion. The total loss of life will probably never be known, 

 but there are at this time known dead and missing of 

 more than 200 persons. 



Three departments of the federal government were 

 called upon to help extinguish the conflagrations which 

 have raged in the mountain states and through their heroic 

 efforts great savings of life and property are to be credited, 

 but the forest will not be saved until the fall rains and 

 snow have once more made a wet blanket of the day 

 forest floor. 



How such losses may be prevented is a matter of 

 general public concern. To the national fprest timber 



at the fire; (2) an adequate force; (3) proper equipment; 

 (4) a thorough organization of the fighting crew, and (5) 

 skill in attacking and fighting fires. Quick access to fires 

 is accomplished through the work of supervision and 

 patrol in discovering fires before they have gained much 

 headway, and by a well-developed system of communica- 

 tion through the forest by roads and trails. 



How Fire May be Fought. 



A small fire may be put out by one man, but in exten- 

 sive forests several hours may pass before the fire can be 

 reached. It is important to secure an adequate force of 

 men. and to get them to the fire quickly. In a well- 

 organized system of patrol the guard who discovers a fire 

 communicates quickly to other guards and to headquarters 

 by telephone, signal, or other means, and indicates the 

 number of men he needs. 



A Lookout Station, Cabinet National Forest. 



burned must be added great amounts on state and private 

 holdings, besides the immense damage done to town, farm 

 and other property. Railroads have suffered from the in- 

 terruption of traffic as well as from direct losses. 



In some sections of the country forest fires have al- 

 ways been of such common occurrence that there is a 

 popular notion that they can not be prevented. The risk 

 from fires can never be entirely eliminated, for in the 

 forest there is always inflammable material which is very 

 easily ignited. They may, however, be largely prevented, 

 and under efficient organization their damage may be kept 

 down to a very small amount. The problem is like that in 

 cities, where fires can never be entirely eliminated, but 

 where the risk of loss to property may be reduced almost 

 to insignificance. 



The principles of fighting forest fires are essentially 

 the same as those recognized in fighting fires in cities. 

 The following are of first importance: (l) Quick arrival 



The efficiency of the fire fighting crew depends very 

 largely on their skill and experience, and particularly on 

 the skill and experience of the man directing the work. 

 It is not only a question of knowledge of how to assign 

 each man where his work will be most effective, but there 

 must be judgment exercised in determining the general 

 method of attack. The character of the fire, the character 

 of the forest, the condition of the atmosphere, the strength 

 and direction of the wind, the rapidity with which the fire 

 is running, and many other points have to be taken into 

 consideration. 



After describing how surface fires may be put out 

 by beating, by throwing sand or loose earth, and by other 

 methods, the account goes on: 



Sometimes the front of the fire is so fierce that it is 

 impossible to meet it directly. One method under such 

 circumstances is to direct the course of the fire. The 

 attack is made on the sides near the front, separating the 



