FLYING FIREMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20372, 28 September 1929, Page 5 (Supplement)

FLYING FIREMEN.

FOREST PATROL'S METHODS* CANADIAN AREAS 6AVSD* For many years the forests of Canada; hard been protected to soma extent through the dry summer season by firs rangers. This was a job ranch coveted by young university students, whose summer holidays could fee spent pleasantly and profitably in this way. Through the northern forests there were many small camps, from which yotmg men would go on foot, or by canoe, to patrol a certain section and watch for the fire 3, which start, perhaps, from a spark of a train, a camp fire, or a tourist'x~ cigarette, and destroy thousands of acres of timber before rain would come to qnench it. One tree will make a xnillioa matches, but it only takes one match to burn a million trees.

About six years ago the Government stepped in. Aeroplanes were called into action to patrol the forests. The mother ship of the fleet Is a big-cabined De Hiffllland. Of the 21/ other machines nine axe 1 two-seater Moth planes and are used for observation purposes. The 23 machines are all flying-boats and ssaplanas, as they have to usa the nttmeron? 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 national wealth. The area is divided into districts, each plane having its own beat. The fire hazard is greatest from May until October; during this tiros the planes are busy, watching from on for tb« first thin wisp of smoke, and then swoop, ing down to investigate. Settlers aro uot allowed to burn thai* brush piles without a permit, and t6 thont who break tha law the flying firemen are indeed winged policemen. One mart con»* plained that he could not step outside to light his pipe without one of these rigfc laiit planes coming to see what he doing. All summer long the planes soar ovee this empire of treao like watchful birda, and at the first sign of danger they has tan away to give the alarm. So well oxga* ' nised is tha area that they are never more than three flying hours away from a radio or telegraph. Hare the pilot landbt and wires tho news to the district forester. Tho district forester knows bow best to send men and equipment to the scene of the fire. Perhaps it eaa he reached by motor-boat, perhaps on foot, along forest trails made for the purpose, perhaps by * speeder on tli® railway or by aircraft. They take pumps and hoses to pump tha lake water, often thousands of feet in length, npon the burning trees. They take tenta, provisions, and, when needed, doctors and nurses. Already this yea? there haw been three fires of tremendous proportions, which have destroyed an appalling amount of timber, and wonflS have done damage infinitely greater i? it" had not been for the untiring work of the ax? force.

In this branch of flying lies the trn* romance of aviation, for here one see* the invention of the present being used to preserve the trees of the past lor ihs uee of'the future ..