Editorials 



89 



"Light- Various parties interested in the pine region of the Sierra 

 Burning'''' believe that more thorough forest fire protection would be 

 possible in that region if controlled fires were allowed to run 

 through the forest occasionally at some time other than during the dry- 

 season. It is claimed by the advocates of this so-called "light-burning" 

 that absolute fire protection as practiced by the United States Forest 

 Service tends to build up so large an accumulation of inflammable mate- 

 rial as to lead to uncontrollable conflagrations. 



Through years of hard work the Forest Service has built up a pro- 

 tective system in the Sierra for which the people of California should 

 be deeply grateful. If, after this has been accomplished, there should 

 now be improper publicity regarding the supposed advantages claimed 

 for light-burning, the public might be led to the conclusion that the pro- 

 tective policy of the Forest Service is fundamentally wrong and not to 

 be supported. This would be apt to lead in turn to very serious care- 

 lessness and incendiarism by irresponsible people. 



The just procedure would seem to be to give the advocates of light- 

 burning every opportunity to prove the merits of their plan; and for 

 everyone to indorse the continuance of the present fire-protective policy 

 on the national forests of California until proof of a better plan is defi- 

 nitely established. Such proof must show among other things that the 

 destruction of young trees and the injuries to older trees caused by 

 light fires are not such serious factors as to preclude the practice of 

 light-burning. 



A weakening of the present protective policy, until it is certain that 

 something better can be substituted for it, would probably be a forest 

 calamity of the first magnitude. W. M. 



Approaching The actual number of visitors to all the national parks 

 A Million last summer considerably exceeded three-quarters of a 

 million ! Since this surpasses by nearly seventy per 

 cent the national-park travel of the previous year, it is evident that the 

 cessation of the war has been followed by a remarkable revival of in^ 

 terest in outdoor life. More than a seventh of this travel belongs to 

 California. While this is a gratifying fact, it also creates problems. 

 When six thousand persons were sojourning in Yosemite Valley at one 

 time last summer, all available hotel and camping accommodations were 

 not only overcrowded, but numerous applicants had to be turned away. 

 The post-office and telephone facilities were unable to endure the strain, 

 and much inconvenience resulted. But National Park Director Mather 

 is endeavoring to make provision for enlarged camp and hotel accom- 

 modations, and to induce telephone and telegraph companies, as well as 

 the Post Office Department, to provide better service. W. F. B. 



