WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 359 



protection as provided for in this act ; it shall have full power to 

 appoint a state fire warden and forester, deputy fire wardens 

 and forest rangers; to make such rules and regulations for the 

 prevention, control and suppression of forest fires as is deemed 

 necessary; to regulate and control the official acts of the state 

 fire warden and forester, deputy fire wardens and forest rangers, 

 and to have power to remove at will any of these officials; it 

 shall be the duty of said board to collect information regarding 

 the timberlands owned by the state, through investigation made 

 by the state fire warden and forester, deputy fire wardens and 

 forest rangers, regarding the conditions of the timber lands be- 

 longing to the state, reporting any damage caused by forest fires 

 and any illegal cutting or trespass upon the state timber and re- 

 port promptly such information to the state land commissioner. ' ' 

 The chief work of the State Fire Warden and Forester is 

 summarized under the following heads: 



1 — Clerical work as Secretary of State Board of Forest 



Commissioners. 



2 — Supervision of forest fire service, including, — 



(a) — Massing and direct charge of fire fighting force 

 in times of special danger. 



(b) — Investigation of origin of forest fires. 



(c) — Prosecution of violators of forest fire laws. 



(d) — Preparation of abstract of forest fire law for 

 public distribution. 



(e) — Notification of county clerks of the appoint- 

 ment and names of deputy fire wardens. 



(f) — Furnishing notices printed on cloth for post- 

 ing calling attention to dangers from forest fires. 



(g) — Preparation of printed foirms for deputies. 



(h) — Inspection and auditing of bills of salary and 

 expenses of deputy fire wardens. 



• 3 — Enforcement of all laws for the preservation of the 

 forests of the state. 



4 — ^Preparation of maps of each of the counties containing 



timber tracts showing state lands therein. 



5 — Study of the kinds, acreage and value of timbers. 



