Canadian Forestry Journal, September, ipi6 



713 



"As to its working, I can perhaps give no better evidence than to say- 

 that last year in the State of Washington alone nearly 13,000 burning per- 

 mits were issued, and under them 118,000 acres were burned over. Here, 

 then, were 13,000 nres in one season under precaution and control which 

 without the lav would have been set without precaution and control. 



"With a good law and good administration there are practically no 

 difficulties, £.nd most settlers like the protection it gives them against their 

 careless nf./ghbors. 



"Thf^ permit is an absolute essential of any serious attempt to reduce 

 fire in h. developing forest region." 



In British Columbia. 



''It is safe to say that among the settlers, 90 or 95 per cent, support this 

 provision (issuing of a permit for clearing fires) and would resist its elimi- 

 nation. From experience gained in British Columbia the unqualified 

 statement is made that unless bush burning is controlled by means of per- 

 mits no real fire protection is possible in a timbered country. 



"It is safe to say that in no country where permits have been used 

 would the people go back to the old system of indiscriminate and uncon- 

 trolled burning." 



Settlers Co-operate. 



From the President of the St. Maurice Forest Protective Association 

 of Quebec (patrolling 12,000 square miles of forested country, much of it 

 heavily dotted with settlement). 



August 31, 1916: — "We have been so successful with the Permit Sys- 

 tem that we would under no circumstances go back to the old way of hand- 

 ling fires. This season we have had absolutely no trouble with the settlers. 

 They have co-operated with us in every way and their satisfaction is uni- 

 versal. So far we have not had a single fire caused by a settler, a most un- 

 usual and satisfactory record." 



"(Signed) Ellwood Wilson." 



Grand'Mere, P.Q. 



How to Judge Velocity of Wind 



The wide difference between guesses at wind velocity during time 

 forest fires are raging gives interest to the following table which is 

 by the Journal from a report of the United States Forest Service : 



Name. 

 Light 



Moderate 



Brisk 



High 

 Gale 



Apparent effect. 



Moves leaves of trees and 



branches, blows up dust. 

 Good sailing breeze ; moves 



and other light objects 



ground. 

 Sways trees and breaks 



branches. 

 Damages small, frail buildings 



or hav in field. 

 Prostrates exposed trees or 



houses. 



when 

 taken 



small 



leaves 

 g 



alonp- 



small 



grain 



frail 



