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CHAPTER XXXII. 



REPORTS ON FOREST FIRES FROM SPECIAL AGENTS 



REPORT No. I. 



BY SPECIAL AGENT SENT OUT BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 

 FOREST AND WATER SOCIETY. 



STODDARD'S CANYON FIRE. 



This fire was first noticed Sunday afternoon about 2 p. m. from 

 Santa Monica, and was started by a party of picnickers from Pomona 

 who came to Stoddard's Camp. Some of the party went up the Can- 

 yon and several went up to the third Falls. When they wished to come 

 back they had great difficulty in getting down the ladder on account ot 

 the fire below them. On arriving at the camp they gave the alarm and 

 a very conflicting story as to its origin. U. S. Government Ranger 

 Bradford has taken their names and addresses. 



By Sunday night the fire had spread over the ridge around and over 

 Spring Hill, along the ridge and over the Saddle of the Ontario moun- 

 tain. Some work was accomplished by the force under Ranger Brad- 

 ford, but the main reason the fire did not go over to the range leading 

 to Old Baldy was the San Antonio Creek and Wash, which at this point 

 is quite wide, with very little growth excepting that along the creek 

 which is green. By Tuesday evening the fire had reached the western 

 mouth of Cucamonga Canyon — thus doubling on itself. After reaching 

 the Ontario Saddle it turned in a southeasterly direction and came down 

 the canyon. At this point the fire could have been very easily con- 

 trolled had the fire men been set to work to back-fire the canyon; but 

 these tactics were not employed once during this whole fire. By 

 Wednesday morning the fire had reached the eastern mouth of the can- 

 yon. On Wednesday morning, Rangers Bradford of San Antonio dis- 

 trict and Casey of Lytle Creek started out with twelve men to Cuca- 

 monga Canyon in a wagon and took a cook and provisions. After tak- 

 ing the men to the canyon, Ranger Bradford took his team to Ontario. 



