Californians Lead in Forest Fire Prevention

The State' of California receives more Federal funds for fire prevention under the Clarke-McNary Act than any one of the other forty States participating in the appropriations made under this law.

This is not only on account of the high estimated cost of p.ot..tittg privatl lands in California but also because the Stit. ""a- frivate owners have spent more money for fire prevention than elsewhere in the United States.

The outstanding feature that impresses visitors to this State, says Regio"nal Forester S. B' Show,-is the general oublic o6serrr"Itce of State legislation and county ordih"rr""t, and the number of clubs and civic organizations tt "t *itot.heartedly suplrcrt all laws and-regulations relati"e t" the prevention iria suppression of fires' f'xamples "i.".t, reiulations found ority in the national forests of California ire the special requirements.of the U' S' Forest Serrnioe relating to ihe carrylng of 'a shovel and ax !y-"tt "*ping partii, the no-smbking rule in the national for".ir'.*&rit atf.ag stations or at camps and.places of habitation. Tlie State and some of the counties have enacted i"*r ptonmiting the throwing of burning matches and tobacco from moving vehicles and a State llw -requires camDers to obtain a p"ermit from the owner before building t-""-*o-nt. on privaie lands outside of the national forests l"-.tpirf.t*ni i similar requirement by the Forest Service in the national fQrests.

Southern California, with one-half of the popul?tion. of the State living on l'4 per cent of-the land area and-havtng avaiiable O.7 ;f ott. pet cent of the water supply, is foremost in regulations and laws that will help prevent TtSt' In that relion the conservation of wat€r supply, *.htc,l comes from the brush and forest Povered mountalns, rs ot ;t"16;;""ti.- A strong public se.ntiment stands behind "it ru.h laws and rules, whether Federal, State or county' and is reflected in the activities of numerous lire preventron and protection organizations and in the fines meted-out PI ift;;;-t"-fi; t"; enforcement cases- The San Jo.aq],ri1 '"r,d S".t"-ento valleys are rapidly approaching. simllar conditions with respect to water in relatton to.thelr growing population, incieasing acreage of irrigated. land.s' and thi ou-estion of water supply for large munrcrParru9s' s.o that the public sentiment regarding forest. Pres:rvatrcn ls increasing in proportion in these sections ol the State'