PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE. 101 



help. The fact that it may not be on his district has no bearing 

 unless he is certain another ranger is there already. 



Rangers on fire-patrol duty should avoid spending time and 

 work in places or along routes where there is little danger or small 

 outlook. A clean fire record rather than hours spent or miles rid- 

 den is the best indication of efficient patrol. Often a short trip to 

 a commanding point is better than a long ride through a wooded 

 valley. During dry and dangerous periods the selection of head- 

 quarters, camping places, and routes should be made with the 

 single object of preventing and discovering fires. It is often neces- 

 sary for a ranger to be detailed to patrol certain much-used trails 

 or roads by which parties enter the mountains. 



Fires caused by lightning are not rare, especially in dry moun- 

 tain regions. After every electric storm a special effort is needed 

 to locate and extinguish any such fires before they are well under 

 way. 



HOW TO FIGHT FIRE. 



When once a fire has spread over an acre or more, 

 especially where much dead and down timber makes it 

 very hot. it may be so far beyond the control of one 

 man that it is best to leave it and get help. The char- 

 acter and condition of the woods, the weather, and 

 even the time of day have so much to do with such cases 

 that general directions have little value and all depends 

 upon the experience and good judgment of the ranger. 



Generalh r the best tools for righting fire are the 

 shovel, mattock, arid ax. The ranger should always 

 carry at least an ax during all the dangerous season. 



In damp, heavy forest, fire usually travels slowty, 

 and a few men, if persistent, can keep it in check by 

 trenching, even though they may not extinguish it, 

 and must continue the watch until rain falls. In dry 

 open woods fire travels faster, and it is often best to 

 go some distance to open ground, and back fire from 



