WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



55 



state made the grand total of $5,097,825. More than one-tenth 

 of the whole surface of the state was burned over, and one-fifth 

 of the forest area. Three per cent of the estimated standing 

 timber in West Virginia was destroyed, including the small as 

 well as the large; and the amount burned was two-thirds as 

 much as the cut of all the mills in the state in 1907. 



*'As to the origin of fires, 71 per cent were from locomo- 

 tives, 20 per cent from saw mills and campers, 3 per cent set 

 to improve the range for live stock, 2 per cent incendiary, and 

 4 per cent from other causes."* 



The forest fire statistics, as collected by J. A. Viquesney, 

 Forest, Game and Fish "Warden of West Virginia, for 1909, 

 are as follows: 



Number of fires 70. 



Number acres burned over 94,322. 



Value of timber destroyed $107,053.10. 



Amount spent in fighting fires 1,305.76. 



A comparison of the losses by fire in the two years, as 

 given above, will show to what extent the recently-enacted fire 

 laws have proven valuable even before the system provided for 

 has been thoroughly organized. It should be stated, however, 

 I that the season of 1908 was exceptionally dry and favorable in 

 every way for the spread of forest fires. 



Prevention and Control of Forest Fires. 



Fire in forests cannot be controlled absolutely. Even the 

 areas that are guarded best sometimes suffer. The appalling 

 losses in the National and other forests of the Northwest dur- 

 ing the present season have shown that too much vigilance is 

 impossible. 



Forest fires are of three different classes according to the 

 places where they burn. Surface fires run over the ground, 

 burning the leaves, brush, and all manner of litter; ground 

 fires burn more slowly, eating their way through the humus- 



♦Report of West Virginia Conservation Commission. 



