358 THE CONIFERS (GYMNOSPERMS) — FORESTS 
dents or careless pruning, and insect enemies, require that 
forests have supervision and attention to prevent damage 
and consequent loss to the owners. The persons who watch 
over forests in this way are called forest rangers. 
306. The Work of a Forest Ranger. — A forest ranger has 
numerous duties, chief among which are to look out for fires 
and to report them when 
they occur. As a preven¬ 
tion, campers and others 
are cautioned to be care¬ 
ful about letting fire 
spread, stations or look¬ 
outs are maintained from 
which a large territory 
can be surveyed for signs 
of fire, airplanes are also 
used to this end, tele¬ 
phone lines are kept in 
repair to provide for 
calling help to fight fire, 
roads are cut for the same 
purpose, and also with a 
view of making it possible 
to check the spread of 
fire by removing all brush 
and other material which 
will burn. When fire 
occurs, it is fought by 
clearing paths across which it cannot travel for lack of 
fuel, and by digging trenches, which have the same effect. 
In some cases fires are beaten out with damp cloths or with 
branches of trees, and in rare cases, by the use of water. 
In some states regular trains are maintained on which are 
huge tanks containing water, and apparatus for throwing 
it some distance from the track. Prevention has proved 
Figure 332. —Castle Peak Fire Lookout. 
What is the advantage of this location ? 
From a National Forest in Colorado. 
