FOREST FIRES OF 1913 31 



ADDENDA 



This report and the foregoing tabulation of forest conditions 

 were compiled in 19 12. Extensive forest fires during the summer 

 of 1913 have altered the conditions on about 175,000 acres. Dr. 

 Howe has made an investigation of the extent and origin of these 

 fires and estimates the actual and prospective loss at not less than 

 $3,000,000. 



Dr. Howe's report is as follows : 



It is stated in the body of this report, on page 63, that 620,000 

 acres of cut-over pine lands in the Trent watershed had been burned 

 in the past 30 to 40 years, and of this area nearly 390,000 acres had been 

 burned two and three times : 1 56,000 acres,four to eight times.while only 

 75,000, or one-eighth of the whole, had escaped with only ohe burning. 

 An idea of what these repeated fires have cost the Province in terms of 

 potential dues and stumpage values may be obtained by referring^ to the 

 table on page 63. It was shown that these burned-over lands contained 

 enough poplar and young pine to justify an attempt on the part of the 

 proper authorities to save them from further destruction by fire. At 

 the present time, for reasons s'^ated on pages 64 and 65, they are 

 entirely without fire protection. 



The necessity of effective protective measures has been forcibly 

 prescribed by the widespread and destructive fires of last summer. 

 The fires of last July and August burned over approximately 175,000 

 acres in the region considered by this report. This represents over 

 15 per cent, of the forested area within the Trent watershed and 

 3 1 per cent of the area classed as former pineries. The extent and dis- 

 tribution of these bums are indicated on the accompanying map*, 

 as well as in the table below. The four largest areas are grouped to 

 represent continuous bums. 



Areas Burned in 1913 

 Township Acres Total 



Anstruther 36,480 



Burleigh 19,560 



Cavendish 15,740 



Glamorgan 3,360 



Harvey 1,830 



Monmouth 800 



77,780 



Methuen 29,600 



Lake 14,500 



Burleigh 1,000 



WoUaston 500 



- 45,600 



Glamorgan 15,480 



Snowdon 12,700 



Dysart 500 



28,680 



Lutterworth 9,000 



Anson 6,680 



14,680 



* See page 32. v 



