Forest Fires in the Intermountain Region. 13 
seems to be starting pretty lively. Get down there as fast as you 
ean. Pick up the prospector, Owens, if you can find him at his 
place, and take him along. If the fire looks bad, send him over to 
Deer Hollow for the crew that’s building trail there. You stay right 
with the fire. The lookouts will keep us posted. If you can’t get 
Owens, and if it gets worse, we will get the trail crew in to help you.” 
Next he intercepts Ranger Black, through the kindness of Mrs. 
Holcomb, whose ranch he must pass on his way to Johnson’s corral. 
He informs him of the fire and tells him to be ready to shoot in 
reinforcements, for the weather is hot and dry and the place danger- 
ous. Then for a time all is quiet again. The lookouts in an hour 
or so may report the smoke abating or may be getting worse. Then 
there is more telephoning. Men are notified at distant ranches. 
Tools, rations, camp outfits, cooking utensils, all prepared in units 
for just such times, are pulled out of the storehouses, packed onto 
Cosr Per Acre Burnep 
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YEAR 
Fic. 8. 
horses’ backs in a few minutes, and are soon off across the mountains. 
An organization, complete in all details, arises as if by magic through 
the agency of the telephone. The fire is directed from perhaps 60 
miles away by a man who never sees the flame or even smells the 
smoke, and who may not even know the fire-fighters except as distant 
voices at the other end of the wire. All night long the dispatcher 
may sit at his desk, calling here and there, and listening to reports. 
Out in the forest the men are working or resting, ready. to jump op 
the fire at the first glimmer of morning light. 
This is what is being done to stop forest fires. The United States 
Forest Service and the South Idaho Timber Protective Association 
(an organization of owners of private timber land, which also in- 
cludes the State of Idaho as a member) both have built up organiza- 
tions for controlling forest fires. Not in all parts of the intermoun- 
tain region is the organization so complete as pictured above. Every- 
