246 REPORT NO. 2. 



REPORT NO. 2, 



BY SPECIAL AGENT SENT OUT BY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 

 FOREST AND WATER SOCIETY. 



FIRE IN SIERRA MADRE MOUNTAINS. 

 {Commencing Sunday, August 27.) 



Origin of fire: Supposed to be caused by a party of picnickers from 

 Pomona, who spent Sunday in Stoddard's Canyon. Some of the party 

 went up to the third falls and when they started towards the camp 

 could hardly get through on account of the fire. Upon arriving ai 

 camp they gave the alarm and told a very conflicting story. Their 

 names and addresses were taken by Ranger Bradford of the San Anton- 

 io district. This was at 2 p. m. Sunday. 



Methods of fighting the fire: At no time was there a systematic 

 attack made. No line of campaign was laid out and no one was suf- 

 ficiently well acquainted with the trails (Saddle, Hog-Back and Spring) 

 of the mountains, in charge to do so. The only methods employed was 

 one fruitless attempt to keep pace with the fire and save that which 

 the fire missed. In this way twelve men under Ranger Casey of Lytle 

 Creek managed to save the Cucamonga fiume. 



Mr. N. D. Allen of North Ontario, a trained mountaineer with eight 

 men provided with three shovels and two axes, attempted to make a fire- 

 break on top of the Cucamonga Mts., which resulted in failure and for 

 which they almost lost their lives. 



Tools used: All the tools used were borrowed for the occasion 

 and none arrived from the Department until Thursday noon, when 

 Forest Superintendent B. F. Allen arrived from Los Angeles. In the 

 meantime the fire had gotten into the big timber northeast of the Cuca- 

 monga Mts., and was beyond all hope of stopping it twelve hours be- 

 fore his arrival. 



Men in charge: B. P. Allen, Forest Superintendent, of Los Ange- 

 les, is a man past middle life and is not fully acquainted with the Sierra 

 Madre Mts. 



Supervisor Borden of Pasadena is a man also past middle life; does 

 not know the mountains, and did not attempt to get beyond the old 



