File:Annual report (1906) (14746436524).jpg

Identifier: annualreport131415190newy (find matches)
Title: Annual report
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: New York (State). Forest, Fish and Game Commission
Subjects: Forests and forestry Fisheries Game and game-birds
Publisher: (Albany, N.Y. : The Commission)
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ll, if the ordinary rains occur. In the autumn months when the leaveshave fallen and frost or natural causes have killed nearly all the vegetationthere is another dangerous period, especially if the weather is dry, untilsnowfall. Such is the condition in the Adirondack and Catskill forests, andwhenever droughts occur fires are bound to follow. It has been suggested that forest fires are becoming more extensiveand increasing in number. This is partly true, but needs an explanation.Forest fires are bound to occur as long as careless hunters and fishermenare allowed to roam our woodlands at their pleasure, and the railroads arepermitted to scatter live sparks along their lines. Any laiv, no matter howcarefully drawn, must have the moral support of the community and agenerous public sentiment in its favor to be effective. Pleasure seekers andothers who are not familiar with woods life must be taught the dangers offire and how easily one can be started. The popularity of our forest regions
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FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 109 is increasing, and each year more people are availing themselves of thebenefits of those great health resorts and receiving pleasure by hunting,fishing and camping. In this manner it is easy to account partly for theincreased danger because there are more people in our forests. It is easyto comprehend that increasing the use of our forests at the same timeincreases the danger from fires. There is another matter which must be considered in this connection.Whenever fire burns over a piece of land the chances are greatly increasedthat it will be burned over again. This is accounted for by the fact thatfires are not likely to originate in the green forest; but if they do start andkill the forest vegetation the chances that it will burn over again are increasedprobably fifty times, because after a fire occurs a very inflammable growthconsisting chiefly of brakes, fire weed and other plants of a delicatestructure which grow profusely, die each year, a

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