INJURIES CAUSED BY FOREST FIRES 243 



While the increase of losses in conjunction with rise in 

 expense for protection may appear discouraging, such is not 

 the case. 



The enormous increase in the number of buildings and 

 greater concentration of values, due, for example, to more 

 expensive buildings, and to larger stocks of goods carried by 

 business firms, would account for a larger number of fires and 

 for higher losses. 



The wealth of the country has risen far more rapidly than 

 have losses from fires. Hence the percentage of loss to total 

 value has fallen. 



Similar results may be anticipated (and already are being 

 received in many forest regions) when forest property is 

 protected from fire. Whether the actual amount of damage 

 will increase annually as the value of forest property rises 

 remains to be seen. Past statistics of damage are based on 

 a period when virtually no protection was afforded forest 

 property. The estabHshment of a protective system may be 

 expected to have the immediate effect of reducing the losses 

 below figures for the no protection period, although the latter 

 are incomplete and too low. After the protection system is 

 well estabhshed, it may be that as forest property values rise 

 forest fire losses also will go up in amount, though falHng in 

 per cent of total protected value due to higher efficiency in 

 protection. 



Classification of the Injuries Caused by Forest Fires. — 

 The injury caused by forest fires may be classified under 

 eight heads, of which the first four have a direct relation to 

 the results of apphed silviculture attained in any forest. 



1 . Injury to trees containing merchantable material. 



2. Injury to young growth including reproduction. 



3. Injury to the soil. 



