F-IifTH NATIONAI, CONSERVATION CONGRESS 281 



the intervening space carefully burned over. A number of States have passed 

 stringent laws governing prevention of fire through the operation of railroads, 

 even going so far as to require such roads to follow trains with a patrol when 

 passing through wooded sections. 



The steps taken by passenger lines and laws governing them apply equally 

 to logging railroads. 



It is sufficient to say that for the most part railroad companies are making 

 a real effort to prevent fires and to co-operate with those agencies seeking to 

 prevent destruction of timber through fire. It is seldom amiss, however, for 

 States to provide, by law, that proper precautions be taken by common carriers 

 to prevent starting of fires. 



PROTECTION SYSTEMS 



METHODS of protection have been referred to throughout this repori. 

 In general whether carried on by the Federal Government, States, or 

 private owners, they can be classed under two heads:— (a) Protection 

 through patrol, with a view to preventing fires from starting, combined with 

 machinery for fighting fires which do start, (b) Machinery for fighting fires 

 when they start, with little attempt at patrol to prevent fires. 



The second of these is no longer recognized as in any sense adequate, and 

 though better than no fire prevention effort, is only in vogue in States with anti- 

 quated forest laws and small realization of the need for safeguarding the 

 forest crop. 



Protection through patrol is generally recognized as the only means for 

 insuring against serious loss of timber by fire. 



An adequate protection system must comprise a fire detection or location 

 force, a patrol force, and a force for apprehending and convicting violators of 

 the forest laws. 



The lookout or fire detection force must be supported by a strong patrol to 

 make it effective, and the patrol force is in turn largely dependent upon the 

 fire detection force to catch any fire immediately after it starts. In many cases 

 the patrol force can enforce the law and secure necessary evidence to convict 

 offenders. In special cases, however, men particularly fitted to carry on such 

 work should be available. 



LOOKOUTS 



THE Forest Service throughout the National Forest area is as rapidly as 

 possible installing a chain of completely equipped lookout stations. Some- 

 times these can be located on high bald points giving a view over a large 

 scope of country. In other cases steel or wooden towers must be built to allow 

 of seeing over the tree tops. Private associations and States are fast installing 

 similar systems for detecting fires. 



The equipment needed for such a station is (a) telephone communication 

 with patrolmen and the headquarters of the protection unit; (b) a good map of 

 the country and some device for getting an accurate bearing on the fire (numerous 



