WINGED FIREMEN

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 84, 5 October 1929, Page 23

WINGED FIREMEN

FOREST PATROL'S METHODS SAVING CANADIAN" TIMBER For many years the forests of Canada have been protected to some extent through the dry summer season by fire rangers. This was a job much coveted by young university students,- whose summer holidays could be spent pleasantly and profitably in this way, states an overseas journal. Through the northern forests there were many-small camps, from which young men would go on foot, or by canoe, to patrol a certain section and watch for the fires, -which start, perhaps, from a spark of a train, a camp fire, or a tourist's cigarette, and destroy thousands of acres of timber before rain would come to quench it. One tree will make a million matches, but it only takes one match to burn a million trees. TRAINED FORESTERS. About six years ago the Government stepped iiu Aeroplanes were called into action to patrol the forests. The mother ship of the fleet is a big-cabined De Havilland. Of the 21 other machines nine are.- two-seater Moth 'planes arid are used for observation purposes. The 22 machines are all flying-boats and seaplanes, as they have to use the numerous small lakes for landing-places. Now, instead of untrained men patrolling the forests by means of canoes and look-out towers, the 'planes of the forestry service are manned by trained foresters, who patrol the 400,000 square miles of national wealth. The' area" is divided iuto districts, each 'plane having its own beat. The fire hazard is greatest from May until October; during this time the planes are busy, watching from on high for the first thin wisp of smoke, and then swooping down to investigate. Settlers are not allowed to burn their brush piles without a permit, and' to those who break the law the flying firemen are indeed winged policemen. One man complained that he could not step outside to light his pipe without' one of these vigilant, 'planes coming to see what he was doing. METHODICAL ORGANISATION. All summer long the 'planes soar over this empire of trees like wateKful birds and at the first sign of danger they hasten away to give the alarm. • So well organised is the area that "they are never more than three flying hours away from a radio or telegraph. Here the pilot lands and wires the news to the district forester.The district forester knows how best to send men and equipment to the scene ot the^fire. Perhaps it cau be reached by motor-boat, perhaps on foot, along torest trails made for the purpose, pert naps by a speeder on the railway line or by aircraft. They take pumps and hoses to pump the lake water, often thousands of .feet in length, upon-the burning trees. They take tents, provisions, and, when needed, doctors and nurses Already this year there have been three fires of tremendous proportions, which have destroyed an appalling amount of timber, and would have done damage infinitely greater if it had not been for. the untiring work of the air force.

In tins branch of flying lies the true romance of aviation, for here one sees the invention of the present being used u°se Pof S the6^? 65 °f the PaSt f°r the