FOREST, FISH AXD GAME COMMISSIONER. 99 



Forest Fires 



In the year 1906, the period covered by this report, the loss of standing 

 timber by fire in the Adirondack and Catskill forests was comparatively 

 small. While in some of our Northern States there were widespread destruc- 

 tive fires in their forest districts, the State of New York was exempt in a 

 fortunate degree. This was not due entirely to favorable weather conditions 

 or a wet season. The rainfall was slightly below the normal, and at one 

 time last May there was a period of drought during which it was deemed 

 necessarv to order out patrols. Many fires started up at this time along the 

 roilroads, but they were extinguished promptly by the fire-wardens before 

 any damage was done. 



On the forest lands belonging to the State 292 acres of timber were 

 destroyed and 1,026 acres of waste or brush land were burned over. The 

 latter was covered for the most part with ferns or huckleberry bushes and 

 the sandy soil had been bare of humus for many years. 



On private lands, in the Adirondacks, timber on 1,376 acres was 

 destroyed or damaged, and 4,266 acres of brush or meadow land were 

 burned over. 



In the Catskills no fires occurred on State land; but timber on 2,535 

 acres was damaged, and the ground fires ran over 3 ,005 acres of wild meadows 

 and brush lands. A compilation of the figures obtained from the reports of 

 the various town fire-wardens indicates that the loss in standing timber 

 amounted to S2.715 in the Adirondacks, and 85,620 in the Catskills. I 

 think, however, that the fire-wardens in many instances overestimated both 

 the area burned and the amount of damage, especially in the Catskills. 

 This was evident from the statements of the chief fire-warden who in some 

 of these cases, after reading the fire- warden's report, made a personal exami- 

 nation of the burned territory. Furthermore, only a small percentage of 

 the trees were consumed by the flames. By far the greater part were 

 slightly charred, and, though killed by the heat, were still valuable for fuel, 

 and, to a considerable extent, for lumber or other purposes. But the fire- 

 wardens reported most of the scorched timber as a total loss. 



In all there were 98 fires in the Adirondacks, and 44 in the Catskills. 

 With the exception of a few that caused the damage here reported, they 



