14 BULLETIN 1494, U. 8S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
ber and one-hour control for cut-over land has been recommended 
by foresters who have studied the situation.’ 
Because of extreme inflammability in the white pine region, the 
plan is being followed more and more of so stationing men that two 
or more can go to a fire at the start. Although this results in a 
slower theoretical hour control, it makes possible more effective action 
tipon arrival. 
In 1925 three of the five large protective associations in north 
Idaho employed patrolmen or smoke chasers at the rate of one for 
every 10,000 acres; one association employed one for every 12,000 
acres; and the fifth, one for every 14,000 acres. Each force had to 
be augmented during the worst part of the season. One man to 
every 10,000 acres, as recommended here, has now been accepted as 
a working standard by these agencies. 
(4) Secondary defense: Because of the very critical peak periods 
characteristic of the white pine region in July and August it has 
proved very advantageous to have at hand a number of organized 
small crews from which can be recruited extra smoke chasers, crew 
foremen, cooks, etc., or which can be used as fire-fighting units. As 
a less satisfactory substitute in more thickly settled districts arrange- 
ments have been made with loggers and millmen for the use of their 
crews in emergencies. 
The very considerable success attending the use of small organized 
crews employed directly by the protective agencies makes it desirable 
that more of them may be available in the future. It is to be hoped 
that improvement projects, for which there is a need, and slash 
disposal (piling of brush), which is in prospect as a result of the 
Idaho State law of 1925, will give occasion for permanent employ- 
ment of additional crews of this sort which will thus be available to 
the protective agencies in greater number than at present. 
Special problems.—Protection against fire in logging operations is 
one of the most urgent and important problems in forest protection at 
the present time. Some years the losses are enormous. 
The causes of fires most to be looked for in the operations are 
sparks or coals from steam equipment, hang-over fires from spring 
brush disposal, smoking by employees or others, neglected lunch 
fires or fires built to heat chute grease or to smoke out yellow jackets; 
also blasting, hghtning, and incendiarism. 
To prevent such fires an excellent set of rules has been issued by 
the Western Forestry and Conservation Association. With slight 
modifications to fit this specific region (as suggested in parentheses), 
they are given below: © 
1. Some one should be responsible for fire prevention over thé 
entire operation and give his whole time to this—a “camp 
warden.” 
2. Every camp should be organized for fire prevention and 
suppression. Different parts of big operations should be connected 
by telephone with each other and the outside. Some one at each 
“side” (logging unit) should be appointed subforeman to direct 
fire fighting pending the arrival of the camp warden or the fore- 
man. (A whistle code should be worked out to summon men from 
the woods. ) 
?'Three-hour control may be defined as an organization so placed and equipped that at 
least one man will be able to reach any possible fire within three hours after its discovery. 
