REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FORESTS 141 



mum of cost to the railway companies. In some cases, these men 

 devoted their whole time to the work, while, in others, the fire inspection 

 was handled as a part of their regular duties. 



Some delays were caused by diffictilty on the part of the railway 

 companies in securing extra equipment and men, while, in some cases, 

 the patrols prescribed proved not to be needed on accoimt of phenome- 

 nally wet weather. The plan worked out very satisfactorily. The 

 last half of the fire season proved unusually wet, so that fire losses were 

 exceedingly light, and the efficiency of the newly-formed organization 

 was not unduly strained. With the better organization that vnll be 

 available, the work will be handled in a very efficient way diuing the 

 season of 1913. 



„. _ . The requirements as to the construction of fire- 



guards were practically the same as in previous years, 

 with the exception that guards were required in Manitoba in addition 

 to Alberta and Saskatchewan. The Chief Fire Guardian of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture of Alberta was appointed Fire Guard Inspector 

 for that Province and a similar plan is proposed for Saskatchewan. 

 A study of the fire-guard situation is now being carried on, in the hope 

 of making the requirements for next year correspond as closely as possi- 

 ble to local conditions, at a minimum of cost to the railway companies 

 and of loss and inconvenience to land owners. 



Cleaning Much was also accomplished through close in- 



Rights-of- spection in securing compliance with Section 297 of the 

 ^^ Railway Act, which requires the destruction of inflam- 



mable material along rights-of-way. 



The use of oil-burning locomotives on the main 

 LocomottJ'^s ^^^ °^ *^^ Canadian Pacific railway between Kamloops 

 and Field, and on the main line of the Great Northern 

 railway south and southeast from Vancouver, has enormously decreased 

 the fire danger in those portions of British Columbia. The further 

 extension of the use of fuel oil is greatly to be desired in this connection. 



After the work was organized in the West, it was 

 S'&eEast"^ too late to organize in the East for the small remaining 

 portion of the fire season of 191 2. The matter of co- 

 operation has, however, been taken up by the Board with the Govern- 

 ments of the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova 

 Scotia. In some cases, the plan of co-operation has been confirmed 

 promptly by the provincial government, while in others action has 

 been more slow, especially with regard to the designation of the official 

 to be appointed Provincial Fire Inspector. A number of subordinate 



