Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-01-27
A TIMELY BULLETIN.

AZ the close Of season when forest
fires have eXacted the heaviest toll In
forest wealth. buildings and human
life in many years the bulletin recently
put in print by Chief Forester Graves
Is very timely. treating, as 1t does, OF
forest fires and the best methods of eff
fective control. After staring that
while the conditions can never be elm
mated which make forest fires posi-
BILE. they can be largely prevented and
the damage kept down to very small
amount Mr. Graves says:
"A careful supervision Of patrol dur.
ing the dry season is one of the most
important measures in organized for.
est protection. This makes possible
carrying out one of the most funda-
mental principles in fire protection
namely, detecting fires and attacking
them in their incipiency" After point,
ing out the value of lookouts, tele
phone and signal communication and
the several methods of control the for,
ester continues: "The principles OF
lighting forest fires are essentially the
same as those recognized in fighting
fires in cities, the following points be,
ing of great Importance: First. quIcl,
arrival at fire; second. an adequate
force; third, proper equipment: fourth
a thorough organization of the fighting
crew, and. fifth. skill in attacking and
fighting the fires. The efficiency of a
fire fighting crew depends very large
ly on its skill and experiences. and
particularly on the skill and experience
of the man directing the work. 1t is
not only matter Of knowing how to
assign each man, where his work will
be most effective. but Judgment must
be exercised in determining the gen,
eral method of attack. This will de-
pend upon the character of the forest.
the condition of the atmosphere and
strength and direction of the wind.
Surface fires may be extinguished by
beating. by throwing loose earth on
them and by other methods. but when
under Roadway the heat is so in
tense that it is impossible to meet 1t
directly. One method under such cir
cumstances is to direct the course Of
the fire. The attack Is made ON the
sides near the front. separating the
forward portion of the fire from the
main wings. A part of the crew at
tacks the forward part, and others run
down and extinguish the wings. The
front OF the fire attacked from the
sides is forced gradually and constant
ly into narrow path. Usually the
front can be directed toward some
cleared space. stream or other fire bar
rier. This plan of giving direction to
a fire has often been successfully car
ried out when the fighting crew has
been too small for direct attack. In
case of fires which have gained head
way and are moving rapidly back fir
ing Is often necessary. but this method
should be used only when absolutely
necessary. In such cases a point
should be selected In front of the fire
from which to set the new fire. This
must be point where it is safe to
start back fire. such as a road. fire
line, stream or other barrier The
leaves should be ignited at intervals of
from five feet to rod covering dis
lance not greater than the estimated
width of the head Of the fire. The small
fires meet and form a continuous line.
eating back against the wind. A part
of the crew is stationed across the
road or other break to extinguish small
fires started from the back fires. This
usually stops the head of the main fire..
when the wings can be put out in the
ordinary manner" The bulletin con-
cludes with the statement that "a FIRE
Is never out until the last spark is ex-
tinguished, as often log OF snag will
smolder unnoticed after the flames
have apparently been consumed. only
to break out afresh with a rising wind.
After the fire fighting crew has left the
ground 1t is always well to assign at
least one man to patrol the edge of
the burnt area until it Is certain that
the fire is entirely out"