36 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
the guard who discovers a fire com- 
municates quickly to other guards 
and to headquarters by telephone, 
signal, or other means, and indi- 
cates the number of men he needs. 
*“The efficiency of the fire-fighting 
erew depends very largely on their 
skill and experience, and particu- 
larly on the skill and experience of 
the man directing the work. It is 
not only a question of knowledge of 
how to assign each man where his 
work will be most effective, but 
there must be judgment exercised in 
determining the general method of 
attack. The character of the fire, 
the character of the forest, the con- 
dition of the atmosphere, the 
strength and direction of the wind, 
the rapidity with which the fire is 
running, and many other points 
have to be taken into considera- 
tion.”’ 
After describing how surface fires 
may be put out by beating, by 
throwing sand or loose earth, and by 
other methods, the account goes on: 
‘‘Sometimes the front of the fire 
is so fierce that it is impossible to 
meet the course of the fire. One 
method under such circumstances is 
to direct the course of the fire. The 
attack is made on the sides near the 
front, separating the forward por- 
tion of the fire from the main wings. 
A part of the crew attacks the for- 
ward part and others run down and 
extinguish the wings. The front of 
the fire, attacked from the sides, is 
forced gradually and constantly in- 
to a narrower path. Usually the 
front can be directed toward some 
cleared space, road, pond, stream, 
swamp, or fire line, when it will be 
checked enough to admit of a direct 
front attack. Sometimes by this 
plan the front may be rapidly nar- 
rowed by working from the sides, 
until it is at last entirely extinguish- 
ed. The plan of giving direction to 
the course of the fire has often been 
successfully carried out when the 
fighting crew is to small for a di- 
rect attack. 
‘“When fires gain such headway 
that it is impossible to stop them by 
direct attack, no matter how numer- 
ous and efficient the crew or com- 
plete the equipment .for fighting, 
back firing becomes the only means 
of stopping the fire. It should, how- 
ever, be used only when it is abso- 
lutely necessary. One of the com- 
monest mistakes in fighting fires is 
to overestimate the rapidity of the 
fire and the difficulty of putting it 
out. A forest fire is always a fright- 
ening spectacle, particularly if it is 
e : 
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The Scenic Route Through 
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Raitroap 
C. M. Burt, G.P.A, 
sweeping in the direction of one’s 
own property. Men often become 
excited and start back fires when it 
is entirely unnecessary. Back firing 
necessarily involves’ deliberately 
burning over property. When this 
belongs to another person and one’s 
own forest seems in danger, there is 
a great temptation to sacrifice it. 
‘‘Tf it is found that a back fire is 
necessary, a favorable point is se- 
lected directly in front of the fire, 
from which to set the new fire. This 
must be a point where it is safe to 
start a back fire, such as a road, fire 
line, stream, or swamp. 
are ignited at points five feet to a 
rod apart for a distance not greater 
than the estimated width of the head 
of the fire. These small fires gradu- 
ally meet and form a continuous 
line, eating back against the wind. 
A part of the crew is stationed across 
the road or other break from which 
the back: fire is started and put 
out at once the small fires which 
may result from the sparks blown 
over from the back fire, 
The leaves - 
‘“‘The meeting of the two fires 
stops at once the head of the main 
fire. It is usually possible then-to 
attack the wings with the ordinary 
methods of fighting. It is necessary 
to attack the wings at once, particu- 
larly if there is a strong wind, for 
otherwise each wing of the old fire 
would soon form an independent fire 
with a well-developed head. It is 
necessary, also, that a number of 
men be stationed where the original 
fire and the back fire meet in order 
to extinguish smoldering fires in 
tops, logs, and other debris.’”’ 
‘“A fire is never out,’’ the bulletin 
concluded, ‘‘until the last spark is 
extinguished. Often a log or snag 
will smolder unnoticed after the 
flames have apparently been con- — 
quered, only to break out afresh 
with a rising wind. After the fire- 
fighting crew has left the ground it 
is always well to assign at least one 
man to patrol the edges of the burn- 
ed area until it is certain that the 
fire is entirely ont. This may not be 
for several days,’’ . 
