FIITH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 293 



the approval of the State fire warden. Each town fire warden is required to 

 divide his town into a sufficient number of districts to secure adequate protection, 

 and to appoint a resident of each district as district fire warden. 



Each year, since its establishment, the organization has been improved by 

 appointment of more wardens. 



In 1911, the kindling of fires during the dry season without a permit from 

 the fire warden was forbidden by law. At the same time railroad companies 

 were made liable to property holders for damage by fires caused by their loco- 

 motives, and in addition were made liable for all expenses incurred in extinguish- 

 ing such fires. 



There has been a limited amount of patrol work performed by the State 

 and towns, and through cooperation with the United States Forest Service, under 

 the provisions of the Weeks law. 



Two lookout stations were maintained during 1912, and the results obtained 

 demonstrated the value of this form of protection. Others will be established 

 when funds are available. 



IDAHO 



IDAHO has a timbered area of 20,000,000 acres, of which approximately 

 18,000,000 acres are within the exterior boundaries of National Forests, and 

 consequently as well protected against fire as available funds will allow of. 

 The remaining 2,000,000 acres are in private or State ownership, the latter being 

 a large timber owner. Except in parts of southern Idaho, privately owned lands 

 are extremely well protected against fire. No State can boast of better organized 

 or more effective protection than that carried on by the four Idaho Protective 

 Associations.. 



Idaho, so far as known, was the first State to inaugurate a system of co- 

 operative patrol among timber owners. During 1905, which was an extremely 

 dry year, several bad fires occurred in the Pan-handle district, causing heavy 

 expense to owners of timber. After the fire season the companies who had taken 

 charge of these fires endeavored to adjust the cost of fighting them and naturally 

 the question of future cooperation was discussed. In 1906, Mr. F. A. Blackwell, 

 at the request of F. J. Davies, of Edward Rutledge Timber Company, called a 

 meeting of timber owners at Couer d'Alene to discuss cooperation in protection 

 matters. 



As a result of this meeting the Coeur d'Alene Timber Protective Association 

 was organized. The State, being a heavy owner of timber, was asked to join 

 this organization, and though hampered by legal provisions arranged to pay its 

 share of the expense, which it has continued doing since that time. 



In 1907 a bill was introduced in the Idaho legislation by Jos. P. Fallon, 

 which became Idaho's first forest law. This law, while providing penalties for 

 setting fires, burning without permit, etc., also by later amendment authorized 

 the State to cooperate with timber owners and pay its proper proportions of 

 patrol and fire fighting expenses on State owned lands. No appropriation was 

 made by the State, the wardens who were given authority under the law to 

 enforce it being paid by timber owners. 



