8 



Rainfall during the svtramer months is practically nil. 

 It has teen found that the period when fires be- 

 gin to occur, due to increasing dryness of the forest 

 floor, is generally.- about the middle of May. Prom this 

 date and extending over a period of five months, or un- 

 til the middle of October is the fire season, during 

 which time the protective measures relating to forest 

 fire prevention and suppression are in force. The 

 spring rains are usually over by May fifteenth, and 

 during the succeeding five months the dryness is re- 

 lieved only by infrequent showers. Consequently, the 

 debris on the forest floow becomes highly inflammable 

 and unless extreme care is taken fires will occur. 

 About the second week in October the fall rains begin 

 after which the forest f3joor is rendered sufficiently 

 damp to preclude any need of protection from fire. 



The Forest Fire Problem 



Types of Fires 



Of the three types of fires which may occur with- 

 in the forest - ground, surface and crown fires - the 

 first named one does not occur in California forests. 

 This is due to the fact that the duff is too shallow 

 to furnish fuel for a ground fire. The shallowness of 

 the duff is doubtless due to the open and small-needled 

 character of the stands and the dryness of the climate. 



