28 GOVERNMENT FOREST AVORK. 



4. Leaving camp. — Never leave a camp fire, even for 

 a short time, without quenching it With water or 

 earth. 



5. Bonfires. — Never build bonfires in windy weather 

 or where there is the slightest danger of their escap- 

 ing from control. Don't make them larger than you 

 need. 



6. Fighting fires. — If you find a fire, try to put it 

 out. If you can't, get word of it to the nearest 

 United States Forest ranger or State firewarden at 

 once. Keep in touch with the rangers. 



Since practically 60 per cent of the forest fires of 

 known causes are due to human agencies, the need of 

 the most energetic efforts to bring home to the public 

 the importance of care to prevent fires is self-evident. 

 The Forest Service is earnestly seeking to lessen the 

 number of man-caused fires in this way. As recrea- 

 tional use of the Forests by the public increases and 

 the local population and activities of all kinds on and 

 near the Forests become greater, man-caused fires are 

 bound to become more numerous unless educational 

 methods can be made effective. The present very gen- 

 eral observance of fire-prevention week is bringing to 

 public attention the importance of preventing fires 

 and the precautions which it is necessary to observe 

 in order not to cause fires. 



Protection of Water Supply. 



Undoubtedly the greatest value of the mountain 

 ranges of the country, most of which are within Na- 

 tional Forests, lies in their influence upon the regu- 

 larity of the water supply. In many of the States 

 the mountains afford the main water supply for 

 domestic use, for irrigation, and for the development 

 of power. The future development of the entire coun- 

 try, therefore, will depend upon the amount of water 

 and the manner in which it flows from the mountains. 



