. American forestry. Forests and forestry. '?J ?•?^^^y'- 'irf ^ • •? -., ^^'. x^^.:- ;?- Back'firing in the Bitterroot Mountains exception—equipment. As a fire de- partment in a city maintains engines, men, and horses, as a form of insurance against loss of city property, in no less degree is it necessary to be adequately equipped to meet a fire in the forests. There must be men, tools, and pack- trains immediately available if the fire is to be controlled, and it must be reached when it is fairly small. During the past fire season there were at one time in the field in Northern Idaho and Nort
. American forestry. Forests and forestry. '?J ?•?^^^y'- 'irf ^ • •? -., ^^'. x^^.:- ;?- Back'firing in the Bitterroot Mountains exception—equipment. As a fire de- partment in a city maintains engines, men, and horses, as a form of insurance against loss of city property, in no less degree is it necessary to be adequately equipped to meet a fire in the forests. There must be men, tools, and pack- trains immediately available if the fire is to be controlled, and it must be reached when it is fairly small. During the past fire season there were at one time in the field in Northern Idaho and Northwestern Montana, on the National Forests, approximately 300 hired pack horses. This, of course, was during the very worst conditions, when the woods were as dry as a tinder box and fires badly scattered. The securing of these pack-trains was one of the chief sources of delay in getting men and supplies to the fires. By equipping each Forest with horses where trans- portation facilities make it imperative, this delay can be largely obviated. In addition to the horses, caches of tools, 634 consisting of shovels, mattocks, axes, and saws, are distributed throughout the Forest. These emergency caches are for equipping at least 10 men. UNCOMMONLY DRV SEASON Usually the fire season begins about the latter part of July and lasts through August and early September. This year no spring rains occurred and the country began to get dry by early June. Steps were taken to prepare for a bad year. Extra patrol was put on. Co- operation was planned and effected with railroads and lumber companies, and people were warned to be very careful about burning brush to clear land. In spite of all precautions, fires originated from the burning of brush, from loco- motives and logging engines, from campers, and from lightning. The practically unbroken drouth dur- ing June, July, and August was accom- panied in many localities by dry elec-. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectforestsandforestry
