The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-11-13

they being opened up as rapidly as funds
will permit Of trails being built, yet there is so
much area, so many other duties gre required
OF the forest officers and 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 uader which
large fires begin, it might be we'll to mention
briefly few of the forest fire terms with which
the layman frequently meets and may not un.
derstand
Forest fires are classified generally as crown
or top fres-those where the fire travels through
the tops of the trees with surprising rapidity and
working disastrous results; and ground or sur
face fires, where the fire travels along the
ground, consuming soil covers humus, brush
and litter, seedlings and often small trees, and,
consequently. doing little or no damage to ma
ture timber. Luckily, in most cases forest fires
are ground fires and 1t 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
nres occur-such as high winds, very bushy or
steep country and severe drought, when such
conditions can in incredibly short time change
creeping ground fire into sweeping crown
nre, leaving path OF ruin and often death in its
walks 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 freakiahness and lin.
certainty upsett1ng the best Of plans So fierce
was the wind at the time of the destructive fires
OF 1910 that whole hilsides of timber were nm.
rooted and men were forced out Of their saddles
The fire leaped across rivers half a mile wide
at single bound, travelling nearly mile min.
ute at times and devourng everything in its
path Often wide canyons were apanned as bv
great jump, the fire continuing on the oppo
site side and leaving the canyon timber green
and unframed. Numerous instances of the ab
solute freakishness Of the fire could be cited
and all tend to show its very uncertainty.
In fighting fire there is constructed around
the burning area what Is called fire 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
1eet or wider as necessary. An ordinary ground
nre, unnamed by strong wind, will die out on
reaching the strip of mineral SOIL often as effect
oally as If the line were stream of water
When the fire is moving slowly and men can
stand the heat and smoke, 1t is always desirable
10 build the trench close to the fire so az to
prevent Its gaining momentum as 1t progresses.
nut where the fire is travelling quite rar.dly.
OFTEN the fire line has to be placed some dis.
lance away from the fire, and where ADEQUATE
patrol or supervision is assured the burned ma
terial on the inside of the line is fired in order
10 meet the advancing fire and destroy the In.
hammable material in it's path. Backfiring. as
TINS Is called, Is generally used only in an
emergency and by experienced hands Often, OF
course. where tie fire s severe, strips Of timber