60 



season. Whereas the government apportions considerable 

 fire losses over an extensive acreage and proves that 

 the annual loss amounts to "but a few cents per acre, the 

 individual owner can not do this. The fact remains, al- 

 ways, that the damage is concentrated upon the burn it- 

 self. If the property of a private person is partially 

 or entirely birned over, it will gain him hothing to 

 proportion the incurred loss over the remaining acreage. 

 His holdings are usually localized and of limited ex- 

 tent. Hence, if his lands are burned the loss is dir- 

 ect and absolute. 



Efficiency 



It must be admitted that owingto the inability to 

 secure adeqjiate appropriations, the National Forests of 

 California are not in generaA efficiently protected. by 

 means of preventive and suppressive measures. More fire 

 trails, lookouts, air patrols, railroad patrols, and 

 better means of communication and transportation are 

 necessaiy. The fire risk of topographic units should 

 be standardized. The corps of men in the detection and 

 suppression organization should be materially increased. 



