The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-11-21
AIRPLANE AIDS
IN CONTROL OF
FOREST FIRES
AIRMEN PERFORM EXCELLENT
SERVICE IN WORK OF CON-
TROLLING FOREST FIRES IN
WESTERN STATES.

At the conclusion of the first sea-
son in which aviators have maintained
an organized fire patrol in the United
States, the officials of the Forest Ser
vice, United States Department of
Agriculture, state that the record
made by the airplane has proved be-
yond question its effectiveness as an
aid in discovering and locating forest
fires.
This new flying undertaking was
performed by the Air Service of the
War Department. with its personnel
and equipment, and at the expense of
that organization. For three months
Uninterrupted service was maintained,
and total of 745 flights covering
90, COS miles were made Many fires
were discovered, located, and reported
in advance of the regular Forest Ser
vice detection organization.
Six patrol routes covering national
forest areas of high value in Cali
fornia were followed, and twice each
day six Curtis airplanes covered the
better part of 9.000,000 acres of rough
| mountainous, heavily timbered coun-
try. The average nonstop run was
$50 miles; the average round trip.
800 miles.
Patrol Extended in Hunting Season
With the opening of the hunting
season in the middle of the second
month of daily flying above the for
ests, the fire situation in northern
California became critical and an eS-
tension of the air patrol was asked.
This was one of the principal factors
| necessitating a complete reorganiza-
+. ton of the whole air patrol in Cali
fornia. DeHaviland planes were sub
stituted for the slower planes of
smaller gasoline capacity and less
climbing power. Two new bases were
established. New daily routes were
laid out. one of which covered $50
miles, and the service was extended
from the original five to fifteen ma
tional forests in California.
Beginning September /, eight air
planes covered twice each day more
than 100000 acres of national for
est, and, incidentally, 100000 acres
of privately owned timber lands.
Eight additional airplaneS were used
on alternate days to allow for neces-
Sary repairs and relief of pilots. Six
teen pilots and % mechanics were as
signed to the work. Up to the first
of October only six forced landings,
with one fatality and no injuries to
pilots or observers, occurred. Dam
age to the airplanes, considering the
number of miles covered and the
rough country patrolled, was negli-
gible. No figures as to the cost of
the experiment have been made avail
able
In the discovery of fires the air pa
troll showed itself IS per cent effici-
ent and it is declared that it can be
made practically 100 per cent effici-
ent, either by providing for longer
period in the air or by making the
time of flight correspond more close
~ to the hours of the day when the
largest percentage of fires start.
Experience shows that while the
effective discovery radius" varies
with atmospheric conditions and the
height of the observer an observer
at an altitude of 5000 feet can de
tect fire AT least 80 miles distant.
Difficulty in Reporting Fires
Through experience and familiarity
with the country are important fac
tors in accurately determining the ex-
act location of fires, wonderful re-
suits were obtained by pilots entirely
new to the region but equipped with
such maps as were available. One
lieutenant, after flying a De Havi-
land over an entirely new route, plac-
ed within one-half mile of its actual
location a 200-acre fire that was S5
miles away. To see it he had TO look
directly into the sun.
On whole, the reporting of fires
AS distinguished from discovering
and locating them-was not so salts
actory.
Paraehutes with messages attach