PLAN OF FIRK PROTECTION l8l 



loss and total loss if fire once starts. Cut over lands are fire traps, 

 both in hardwoods and pinery ; hardwoods are not as easily 

 destroyed as conifers, but the leaf mulch under hardwoods, in dry 

 years, is often worse than the soil cover in conifers, etc. 



Forests in the Lake Region and Canada, and also those of the 

 Rockies have suffered more and are in more serious danger than 

 those of the South. Dry spells in early spring and again in the 

 fall after frost, but particularly the specially dry seasons which recur 

 every 8-12 years in the North and West have made enormous forest 

 fires possible, where literally millions of acres of land were overrun. 

 In mountains, particularly the Rockies and the East side of the 

 Pacific Ranges, the South slope (exposure to South) is dry, brushy 

 or bare and fires start easily; the North slope is well wooded, cool 

 and damp, and much safer. When sufficiently dry, however, it is 

 just these well wooded slopes which make the most terrific fires and 

 involve the greatest money loss, a fact also experienced in stands of 

 giant timber on the coast where usually a wet climate gives the im- 

 pression of great safety. 



In all mountain property, effect of topography must be con- 

 sidered ; fire runs rapidly up the slope, it descends slowly, it creates 

 great draft in all narrow valleys, and it is harder to get to and 

 fight, but generally easier to discover in mountains than in flat lands. 

 The temptation is to protect valuable stands and neglect the less 

 valuable. This is commonly a mistake, the fires gain headway in 

 the unprotected woods and then spread irresistibly over the valu- 

 able forests in spite of all effort of. protection. 



Means of fire protection in the forest consist chiefly of : patrol, 

 equipment and outside help. Since the proverbial ounce of preven- 

 tion is the chief object, Europe has always relied on patrol, together 

 with ample paths and roads to make and keep the woods accessible. 

 In the United States patrol has generally been neglected and even 

 at present there are practically no large forest properties with a 

 patrol in any sense adequate to the task. European experience indi- 

 cates that an area of over 5000 acres to one man on foot is too large, 

 that genrally not more than 2000-3000 acres should be watched over 

 by one guard. 



To make up for lack of help, the foresters in the United States 

 have developed equipment, particularly telephone, and look-out 



