308 REPORT OF THE FORESTRY COMMITTEE 



request was promptly complied with. The Washington Forest Fire Association 

 was organized in 1905 by a few timber owners. This organization, due to the 

 competent management of its officers, soon had a membership which enabled it, 

 with the assistance of the State and by cooperating with the Federal Government, 

 to adequately protect all the timbered area of the State lying west of the Cascade 

 range. 



This association is still the chief factor in forest protection outside of the 

 National Forest. 



Present Protective Effort 



About one-half of the timbered area of Washington is protected by the For- 

 est Service. In this work about 310 men are employed and as an adjunct to pro- 

 tection 758 miles of telephone line and 1,370 miles of trails have been constructed 

 and are maintained by the Forest Service. The cost of protection within the 

 twundaries of the National Forests, in the ordinary year, is about $80,000. 



The State has an appropriation of $37,500.00 yearly with which to maintain 

 the office of State Forester and put Wardens in the field. In addition to this 

 fund, the State received the past year, $10,000.00 from the Federal Government 

 as its share of the Weeks Law fund. The State has in the field one, and in some 

 cases, two fire wardens in each county. These wardens receive $4.00 per day 

 and necessary subsistence expenses when away from headquarters. Their duties 

 are to enforce the law and, by so doing, prevent destruction by fire. 



The Washington Forest Fire Association has a membership representing 

 approximately two and three-quarter million acres. This Association patrols all 

 of the territory west of the Cascade Mountains outside of the National Forest, 

 or about 8,000,000. Its patrol and fire fighting force consists of a chief fire 

 warden, 13 inspectors, and from 75 to 100 patrolmen. For purposes of protection 

 the State is districted, first into inspector districts and then into patrol districts. 

 Each patrol district is in charge of a ranger, who, in addition to being responsible 

 for the suppression of any fires that may start, is charged with the duty of law 

 enforcement, issuing burning permits and seeing that the law requiring the burn- 

 ing of dangerous slashings is enforced. 



An inspection district is made up of several ranger districts and, as the name 

 implies, is in charge of an inspector. These men are responsible for the work of 

 the rangers in their districts and are selected for their wide knowledge and ex- 

 perience in fire suppression. All rangers and inspectors are responsible to the 

 chief fire warden, who in turn is responsible to the trustees of the Association. 

 Inspectors receive from $90.00 to $135.00 per month and expenses and are em- 

 ployed for about five months of each year. Rangers receive from $75.00 to 

 iplOO.OO, no expenses being allowed. 



The Association expends for patrol alone about $40,000.00 a year, and dur- 

 ing bad fire years has expended as high as $100,000.00. 



Cooperation 

 To insure the greatest success, thorough cooperation between the three 

 agencies engaged in fire prevention is necessary. Such cooperation exists. The 



