INSTRUCTIONS TO FIRE FIGHTERS. 23 



INSTRUCTIONS TO FIRE FIGHTERS. 



If you discover a fire too large to be put out at once, 

 get help immediately. If necessary, notify the nearest 

 firewarden. If no firewarden is available, call upon a 

 justice of the peace, constable, road overseer, or exper- 

 ienced fire fighter. Citizens are required by law to fight 

 forest fires, without compensation, when summoned by 

 a state firewarden. 



Do not allow yourself and your neighbors to stay at 

 home watching your fences and buildings when organ- 

 ized effort would put the fire out and save not only your 

 property but that of others. Here, more than anywhere 

 else, "In unity there is strength." 



Organize, and select the best man as leader. 

 Where a firewarden is present, he should take charge. 



If you believe that a fire will take a considerable 

 time to put out, divide your force into crews, one to 

 relieve the other. Keep some one on the job all the 

 time. 



Form a plan of action and stick to it. Consider 

 the rights of property owners, but don't let them back 

 fire to protect their own property unless this will be for 

 the general good. Threaten arrest if they persist in 

 back firing against your judgment. Back fires should 

 be authorized only by the man in charge. 



Many a forest fire becomes uncontrollable because the 

 owner of a fence or a few cords of wood attempted to 

 save it in a situation where it is clearly impossible to do 

 so. Or a rancher protects his ranch by back firing all 

 around it and pays no attention to what becomes of his 

 back fire. The law says that "No person shall be con- 

 victed * * * who shall have set, in good faitli and 

 with reasonable care, a back fire for the purpose of 

 stopping the progress of a fire then actually burning." 

 This does not legalize such examples of back firing as 

 are cited above. Every effort will be made to protect 

 all interests, but selfish interference with a plan of 

 action drawn up for the good of all, will not be 

 tolerated. 



