The midland journal., 1913-11-14

they are being opened up al RAPIDLY al funds
viii permit Of trails being built yet there is SO
much area, so many other duties are required
Of the forest officers ana the funds mentioned
are so limited and inadequate, that progress of
such work. while keeping pace with the avail
able resources. Is necessarily slow.
Before enlarging upon conditions under which
large fires begin It might be well to mention
briefly few Of the forest fire terms with which
the layman frequently meets and may not un-
derstand.
Forest ires are classified generally as crown
or top flres- those where the FIRE travels through
the tops of the trees with surprising rapdty and
working disastrous results; and ground or sur
face fires. where the fire travels along the
ground, consuming soil covers or humus. brush
end litter, seedlings and often small trees, and.
consequently, doing little or no damage to ma
tpTe timber. Luckily. In most cases forest fires
are ground fires and it is these that are the
most quickly controlled. Yet single top fire
can cause vastly more damage than a great
number Of ground fires. However, 1t is general
" under unusual conditions that crown or top
fires occur such as high winds. very bushy Or
steep country and severe drought. when such
conditions can in an incredibly short~time change
creeping ground fire into sweeping crown
ire, leaving path of ruin and often death in its
wake In brief, drought and wind are the two
dominant conditions favorable to severe fires.
The wind is always the most dreaded factor
during the fire season, It's freakishness and un.
certainty upsetting the best of plans So fierce
was the wind at the time OF the destructive fires
of 1910 that whole hillsides Of timber were up.s
rooted and men were forced out Of their saddles.
The hre Ieaped across rivers half a mile wide
at single bound, travelling nearly mile a min
ute at times and devouring everything in its
path. Often wide canyons were spanned as by
great jump. the fire continuing on the oppo.
site side and leaving the canyon timber green
and unharmed Numerous instances OF the abb
solute freakishness of the hre could be cited.
and all tend to show its very uncertainty
In fighting fre there is constructed around
the burning area what is called q fre line or
trench This consists OF clearing away all debris
and brush, generally for three or four feet
though wider when conditions allow or warrant
It. and exposing the mineral soil for one or two
feet or wider as necessary. An ordinary ground
hre, Unframed by a strong wind will die out on
reaching the strip of mineral SOIL often as effect
ually as II the line were stream Of water
When the fire is moving slowly and men can
stand the hear and smoke, It is always desirable
20 build the Teneh close to the fire so as to-
prevent its gaining momentum as 1t progressess
but where the fire is travelling quite rapidly
often the fire line has to be placed some, dis.
tance way from the are and where adequate
pat<oI or supervision Is assured the burned ma.
teriai on the inside Of the line is fred In order
TO meet the advancing fire and destroy the in
nammable material In its path Backhring as
this Is called. Is generally used only fiji an
emergency and by experienced hands. Often. OF
course, where the IRE Is severe. strips OF timber