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MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, ORE.
BUND AT, JUNE it, 19B0
National Forest Emphasizes Safety at
Annual
Fire School
Seasonal Help Is
Instructed in All
Aspects of Control
Emphasizing safety, the
Rogue River National forest
conducted its annual fire con
trol training school June 21 to
24 at Camp 2 located on the
Butte Falls district.
Purpose of the school is to
acquaint seasonal and new
forest employees in the cor
rect methods of detection and
suppression of fires. Most of
the trainees will man look
outs and guard camps during
the summer months. Many of
them are college students
who spend their summer va
cation employed by the forest
ervice.
Coordination and planning
of the school was under the
direction of Robert H. Tor
helm, fire control officer on
the Rogue River National for
est. Assisting him in the in
struction of the courses were
district rangers, assistant
rangers, and fire control offi
cers from the six districts.
More than 70 trainees at
tended the session. They were
divided into seven groups,
composed of lookouts, fire
men, and suppression crews.
The employment assignment
for the summer determined
placement in the groups.
Instruction in fire beha
vior was accomplished by
Harold A. Thomas, ranger of
the Ashland district, who was
assisted by Bob Taylor, as
sistant ranger of the same
district.
In this course, students
were instructed of the various
elements that affect burning
characteristics of fire. Dem
onstrations ol buining mate
rials gave gr.iphic illustra
tions of fire behavior. A spe
cial-built table made of wood.
asbestos, and sheet metal,
which was hinged in the mid
dle, was used to demonstrate
the effect of terrain
To simulate steep country
and the effects of convection
currents, the hinged table was
raised in the middle, and
burning pine needles and
twigs were placed on the in
clined surface and ignited. In
this manner, the students
were able to see how fire re
acts on a slope as opposed to
flat surface.
Thomas discussed the sub
ject of weather as related to
fire control. In this, he dis
closed the effect of humidity
and temperature on fire. He
pointed out that humidity
during the night is higher
than in the day. Thus in fire
supression, control should be
accomplished by 10 a.m. of
the morning following discov
ery, before the humidity
drops appreciably. Tempera
ture, according to Thomas,
has less effect on fire than
humidity, but humidity gen
erally drops as temperature
rises.
To demonstrate the effect
of wind, a small hand model
hair dryer was used to fan
the flames of a miniature fire.
This example served to show
how a strong draft can in
crease rate of spread and dan
ger of spot-fires. The men
were also cautioned to be on
the alert for "dust-devils,"
which are small scale torna
does, and are capable of
spreading fire over a consid
erable distance in an extreme
ly short period of time.
During the lecture, Thomas
stressed safety. He stated
"The two main responsibili
ties of a crew boss are to get
a full days work from his
men, and to watch out for the
safety of the crew."
Map Reading Course
The map reading course
was instructed by Darroil K
Frewing, Klamath district
ranger; Paul Brady, fire con
trol officer of the Klamath
district; Randall F. Perkins,
assistant ranger, Butte Fills,
and Asa D. Twombly, Union
Creek district ranger; assist
ed by Robert Webb, Apple
gate; Ward Blaine, Prospect;
Gordon Walker, Butte Falls;
George Woodllng, Ashland;
and Robert Snoich, Apple-gate.
The purpose of this course
was to acquaint the studentB
in practical map reading. Aft
er a definition of rangelines
and townships, the section
numbering system was ex
plained. The trainees were
taught to read the legal de
scription of maps down to 40
acre tracts.
Given a legend upon which
appeared such marks as build
ings, forest camps, national
forest boundaries, roads,
trails, telephone lines, and
lookouts, students were given
specific points to find on the
fireman's maps. Upon location
of the point, they were then
called upon to give the legal
description of the 40-acrc
quarter in which it appeared.
Maps used In this course
are the most accurate maps
available, having been pre
pared from aerial photos.
The proper use of tools was
instructed by Lowell Ash, fire
control officer of the Union
Creek district; Neil Suttell,
Douglas Baker, Prospect dis
trict ranger; Robert Krcll, as
sistant ranger, Prospect; Asa
Twombly, Union Creek dis
trict ranger; and Donald
Strong, Butte Falls district
ranger. Assistant Instructors
were George Wooding, Robert
Taylor, and Robert Asher,
Ashland; Ward Blaine, Pros
pect; and Robert Snoich, Ap
plegatc. The trainees were in
structed in the same method
of using basic fire tools, and
the proper care of this equip
ment. The three tools demonstrat
ed included a shovel, a hazel
hoe, and a Pulaski, which is
a combination oxe and hoe. A
fire pack was disassembled to
show the contents. The p ick,
which weighs about .10
pounds includes everything
that Is needed for the initial
attack on a small fire. This
Includes a compass, protrac
tor and map to aid the smoke
chaser in location of the fire,
food, tools, a first aid kit, a
water-type fire extinguisher,
and the necessary forms and
reports.
The progressive method of
fire line construction was ex
plained, and practiced by
students. This system, called
the bump method is han
died as follows:
Linabuilder First
The linebuilder goes first
with a cruiser's axe and
blazes the trail. He is fol
lowed by two men with Pu-
laskis who brush out the fire
line. Next comes the men
with hazel hoes who break up
the ground; and last, the
shovel crew who clear away
the ground down to the min
eral earth. The last man in the
line controls the line move
ment. When he catches up to
the man directly ahead, he
yells "bump". The order is
carried up the line and each
man then moves ahead
Bliort distance and resumes
work. In fire line construc
tion, the most important ele
ment is cooperation. Each
man must function as a part
of the team.
Students were then instruct
ed that the purpose of a fire-
line is singular. It isn't to stop
fire, but to create a line from
which a backfire can be set,
and burned in the direction
of the fire.
After instruction In the
methods of tool handling and
small fire .lotion, the crews
were given actual fires to
suppress, under supervision
of the instructors. The groups
were divided into three-man
crews, with one crew to a
fire. When the fires were put
out, a critique was held to
discuss the performance of
the crews, again stressing
safety.
The smokechasing portion
of the school began with a
lecture on how to read
compass. Each man was then
allowed to practice reading
the bearings to several known
landmarks. The group then
formed an a 100-foot course
which had been previously
staked out. They paced the
course 3 or 4 times, counting
each double step. They were
then able to average out the
length of their pace.
Each man was given a dif
ferent azimuth (compass bear
ing) and distance to a hypo
thetical fire. Dividing their
length of step into the dis
tance to the fire, and follow
ing the compass bearing, the
men then headed off into the
brush in pursuit of their fire.
When the specified distance
was paced off, the trainee
then called to an instructor
who measurer his distance
from the mark. In this man
ner, each man was able to de
termine h 1 s accuracy in
smokechasing.
Instructors for this course
were Robert Webb, Apple
gate; Douglas Baker, Pros
pect; Darroil Frewing and
Paul Brady, Klamath; Donald
Strong, Butte Falls; and Har
old Thomas, Ashland assisted
by Gordon Walker, Butte
Falls; Robert Taylor, Ash
land; and Ward Blaine, Pros
pect. A lesson In fire detection
was given for the lookouts by
Douglas Finch, fire control of
ficer on the Butte Falls dist
rict. Assisting him was Doug
las Shaw, assistant ranger of
the Klamath district.
In this course, lookouts
were given instruction and
practice in the use of a fite
finder. The fire-finder is a
large flat circular disc upon
which is a Vi-inch scale map
of the area. It is equipped
with two sights.
The lookout lines up the
sights on a fire, and reads the
bearings of the fire off the
bearing circle. He ascertains
the vertical angle of the fire
in relation to the elevation of
the lookout by reading anoth
er scale. He then reads the
distance of the fire from him
on another scale and reports
the fire. He gives the dis
tance, legal description of the
area down to the 40 acre quar
ter, direction from which
smoke is drifting, . volume,
color, and characteristics,
estimated rize, and whether
or not the base is sighted.
This information goes to
the dispatcher. If two or more
lookouts can take bearings on
the same smoke, the refer
ences are cross-plotted, and
the location is considered
much more accurate. Instruc
tion for the lookout group
was held on Buck Point Look
out, an emergency manned
station.
At the completion of the
fire control school session, a
test was administered to the
students to ascertain the
value of the training session,
and to determine where ad
ditional instruction might
have been beneficial.
Evening events during the
school included a Softball
game refereed by Harold
Thomas, and a lecture on the
use of the forest service radio
commission system by Harold
Howard, electronics technU
clan. Contests were held In
compass reading and pacing,
dirt throwing and iog sawing.
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PRACTICE USE A group of students re- land district, and Neil Suttell, Applegate
ceive practice in the progressive method of district ranger. It was part of a fire control
fire line construction. They are supervised training school in the Butte Falls district
by George Wooding, forester on the Ash- recently.
If
t
5
m .
CHECK HOT SPOTS After suppressing a extinguished. About 70 trainees participated
fire, members of the crew feel for hot spots in the forest service's fire control school last
with bare hands to make sure all sparks are week.
OPEN MONDAY
AND FRIDAY TIL 9 P.M.
WMULIE
TMIEY
1 1 jl
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SEARS
Owners Report
Galls Near Homes
Many home owners have
been calling the county exten
sion office inquiring about the
tiny mustard-seed-like galls
which they find on their pat
ios and under their oaks, ac
cording to Don Berry, Jackson
county extension agent.
"These little galls have a
tendency to jump like a Mexi-1
can jumping bean," Berry!
anid. "This characteristic is
imparted in them by a tiny !
inwet which is inside."
As the galls ripen and fall !
from the underside of the oak :
leaves, the larvae throws It-:
anlf within the gnll causing It !
to jump considerable dis
tances probably in an attempt
to find seclusion in a crack
or crevlse for liberation. i
The following spring tiny
black wasps emerge and re
infect the oak loaves In the
area. This is a common pr-st
which is occurring in epidem
ic proportions this year. They
work only on oak leaves, and
there is no known control for
them, the county agent said.
However, they are seldom con
sidered a serious problem.
Horse Show Queen
Injured in Fall
Salem - fUPD - The Queen of
the Keizcr Area Lions Club
Horse Show fell from a horse
Friday evening and suffered
a slight concussion.
Queen Jo Ann Monner, 14,
Salem, was hurled over the
head of her horse "Tammy"
when the animal fell at the
Monner home.
Jo Ann rode In the Keller
Days parade Saturday morn
ing, but in a car -not on a
bona.
J&ufemem
v-' miii. .fv v2J-Sli'i
mm mm -
. URGE YOU TO REGISTER YOUR BOYS NOW FOR
vivicfi camp at mmnm uu
July 17 to August 5 - For Boys From 8 to 15 Years of Age
Here is wonderful health and character-building program for
boys and a grand adventure for them, too. May we suggest
that you check up NOW on the many advantages of this fine
YMCA summer camping program and be sure that YOUR boy
is registered?
FUN TIME Is Always FIESTA TIME
For the Finest . . .
ALWAYS Be Sure to
Ask for "JORGENSEN'S"
10
mm
Yes, camping is fun and so Is EVERY other get-together with fi
and that's when this fine Jorgensen's Ice Cream is SO good.
It makes real party out of EVERY occasion. It's doubly GOOD with
that added nutrient-NUTRIMIX-and comes in YOUR favorite
flavorl
CAMP LEADERSHIP
The "Y" has Camp Director, Program Director, three
Unit Directors (one for each age unit), and a Cabin Coun
selor for each cabin. They all attend the Pre-Camp Leader
ship Training Course held by the YMCA.
HEALTH
A camp nurse Is always on duty with a fully equipped
First Aid Room with beds. She is a Registered Nurse. A
health exam is required by all campers prior to going to
camp. Cleanliness Is stressed to all the campers during the
entire week.
LOCATION OF CAMP
The "Y's" camp is located on th southwest corner of
Diamond Lake. It Is at the south end of the country homes
area. Diamond Lake it about 10 miles northwest of Crater
Lake. The road Is well marked to the camp.
IMPORTANT TIMES TO REMEMBER
Camp starts on Sunday at 4:00 o-m. Camo ends at
4:00 p.m. on the following Saturday. Sign up for camp as
soon as possible, as the YMCA will have to stop registra
tions when the list Is 72 campers per week. Camp office
Is open week days from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on
Saturdays from 10:00 to 12:00 in the morning. Day Camp
starts at 9:00 a.m. each morning.
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