30 ANNUAL REPORT OF 



chief fire warden to inspire them with interest and zeaj 

 and keep them on the alert. 



DIFFICULTIES THAT ARE MET WITH. 



Remember the great extent of territory — about 30, 000, - 

 000 acres — that our fire warden system has to protect; a 

 country containing hundreds of logging camps, thousands 

 of new settlers clearing land, land and timber seekers, 

 mineral prospectors, campers, hunters and tourists, all in 

 large numbers; a country full of activity and attended 

 with great danger in respect to fires. These are facts to 

 be considered when judging of the efficiency of the fire 

 warden system. 



Remember, too, how many there are in this region who 

 are naturally hostile to any such system, and who them- 

 selves, and by their mouthpieces, slur and beHttle it. 

 This class of people embraces those professional hunters 

 who are mean enough, in a dry and dangerous season, to 

 set fires in the woods in order to make pasture for deer; 

 also men who make a living by stealing timber. Such 

 men naturally do not want any agents of the law around. 



Also, there are multitudes of well-meaning settlers, 

 who, not thinking of the future and of their own best 

 interests, wish an indiscriminate removal of all the woods 

 in their locality. 



DUTIES OF THE CHIEF FIRE WARDEN. 



What are the duties of the supervising officer, who, 

 under our system, is entitled the Chief Fire Warden? In 

 the first place, he is practically a Forest Commissioner. 

 He is required by law to investigate the extent of forests 

 in the state, the amounts and variety of timber growing 

 therein, the methods used to promote regrowth of tim- 

 ber, and other important facts relating to forest interests. 

 Such information and his suggestions are to be included 

 in his annual report. He must be a man well informed 

 in the science of forestry. 



