The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-07-01
FOREST FIRE
MENACEBEINC
CURBED IN NC.
Fight Still Uphill One But
IS Million Acres Are
Protected
By w. c. MCCORMICK
Director State Forest Fire Control


RALEIGH, July l. (UP). -
North Carolina is licking the for
est fire situation with an Organl-
zation protecting l5,0OO,OOO
acres of forest lands, Is per cent
of the states fOrested area.
It's been an uphill fight and
still is.
We don't have "abestOs" pro-
lection yet. That's what We are
working toward.
The state spends only two cents
an acre to insure protection TO DO
cooperating counties. 1t enables
US to secure satisfactory results.
We do not believe it will ever
be necessary TO request more than
four cents an acre, and then only
where much more intensive pro-
lection is desired and where the
assistance of the general public
can be depended upon as under
the present set-up.
The landowner should be fore
ed to assume some responsibility
for the protection of his ow lands.
And that, if the state is willing to
meet him half way by organizing
and supervising the work, he is
only doing what is fair to all by
providing his share of the costs.
The 1885 general assembly
passed a law providing protection
to any county in the state If that
county would meet half he oDlI-
cations. Only SO counties have
entered into the cooperative.
The state is organized into
seven forestry districts. The
boundaries were established to in
clude, as nearly as possible, SINH
lar forest types, topography, and
fire conditions.
Six of the districts are super
yised by technically trained, ex-
perienced foresters.
A county warden heads the
work in each county. His salary
ranges from $50 to $140 month.
The county is divided into five
districts. Each district is super
Vised by a district warden. He IS
Maid 80 cents an hour for time he
actually devotes to fire control.
Each district warden has two to
five men to pledge" to COMBAT
firest when called. They receive
20 cents an hour for their serv-
ices
Whe ma fire is reported, the
district warden rings a bell. HIS
crew is formed. They hop into q
truck and go for the fire.
During the peak of the fire sea
son, crews of from two to IlVS
men are employed at a small
monthly wage. They remain at 4
fire tower for immediate cali.
There are Sc lookout towers.
Besides the towers, there are
five water tanks and a number OF
tall buildings used for fire detcc-
ton purposes. All Observations
stations are connected by tele-
phone. County wardens are tied
into these lookout points where
possible. There are more than
600 miles of state-owned tele-
phone lines. -,
We have estimated that it will
reauire 12O towers and approxl-
mately 1900 miles of telephone
lines to give US the desired detec'
ton and reporting facilities.
During the main fire seasons,
which normally run from October
to the middle of December and
from February until June, the
lookout points are manned by
towermen. ;,
The towermen are equipped
with properly oriented maps, ali
dades, and telephones. They live
here during the fire seasons.
In addition to the plan of coun-
ty cooperation, individual timber
land owners may list with the
state their holdings in blocks OF
not less than 10000 acres. The
assessment rates or these tanks
vary according to what We con-
slider necessary to give them prop
er protection, and range any