Canadian Forestrp journal 



Vol. XII, 



January, 1916. 



(Printed at Kingston, Ont.) 



No. 1. 



How Canadian Northern Provides 



'^^^^ Against Forest Fires^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 



Well-Organized System of Collecting Information — Causes and- 

 Losses Closely Ascertained — Velocipedes Preferred. 



[Editor's note: — Mr. A. E. War- 

 ren, Assistant to the General Man- 

 ager, Canadian Northern Railway, 

 was asked to state for readers of the 

 Canadian Forestry Journal a detail- 

 ed description of the Company's 

 forest fire protection work. His in- 

 teresting and complete reply is given 

 herewith. It may be noted that Mr. 

 William Kilby is the officer imme- 

 diately in charge of fire prevention 

 for the C.N.R. system on its western 

 lines.] 



Forest fire protection on the Can- 

 adian Northern Western Lines is 

 handled direct from the General 

 Manager's office. All instructions 

 are issued therefrom, and reports are 

 made thereto. 



The work on the lines running 

 through forested sections is taken 

 care of largely by special fire patrol- 

 men, whose duty consists essentially 

 in patrolling certain designated 

 beats. Through the courtesy of the 

 Dominion Forestry Branch these 

 men are supplied with badges in- 

 scribed: "Dominion Railway Fire 

 Patrol." These badges add dignity 

 to the work, and authorize the men 

 to summon help if necessary. The 

 Company assumes payment for help 

 so summoned, and after two seasons' 

 experience the arrangements in ef- 



fect have been most satisfactory. 

 The subsidiary forces are comprised 

 of train, section, and bridge crews, 

 telegraph, fence, construction and 

 extra gangs. In cases of extreme 

 urgency all officials and employees 

 of the road are required, as their 

 duty, to assist in the work of fire 

 protection. 



Centralising Information. 

 In order to cover this work it was- 

 first necessary to devise a system of 

 fire reporting which would central- 

 ize necessary information. Enclosed 

 herewith are copies of reports in 

 use, together with a chart showing 

 how this information is distributed. 

 It will be noted that everyone em- 

 ployed by the Railway is required to,, 

 and means are provided whereby 

 they can, make reports to officials- 

 concerned. This is made possible by 

 the use of a special telegraph form 

 so arranged that, with the use of 

 telegraph symbols, essential inform- 

 ation can be sent in the shortest 

 worded message and to the proper 

 officials. The action taken on re- 

 ceipt of this information depends, of 

 course, on the nature of the fire. Ar- 

 rangernents are made whereby for- 

 est officials are notified when fires 

 occur outside the jurisdiction of the 

 railway company. 



