These individuals take time off from their business and work, without compensation, and often at considerable personal expense to themselves to attend meetings, make surveys, and generally work in the interests of increased fire protection for national forest lands. A program to provide adequate standards of fire protection for southern California national forests has already been developed. This program reflects the actual needs of the United States Forest Service. It was prepared at the request of, and has been fully adopted by the watershed fire council of southern California and its member groups. It calls for the expenditure of $2,375,000 per year over and above regular appropriations provided for fire protection in southern California during fiscal year 1954, for 10 years, to provide sufficient numbers of year-long fire-fighting crews and other personnel, the purchase of new and badly needed fire-fighting equipment, building of fire trails and breaks, construction of additional fire-crew camps, water stations and other structures, building of heliports, and putting into effect preplanning programs, and other projects of a fire-prevention and presuppression nature. ADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR THE NATIONAL FORESTS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA—A 10-YEAR PROGRAM Funds required annually-in addition to fiscal year 1954 appropriations—for adequate protection of national forest land Operation and maintenance: The above dollar estimates for operation will employ, train, equip, and house 750 vitally needed additional firemen. Capital investment: The above dollar estimates for capital investment will permit the construction of the firebreaks, roads, trails, water developments, and heliports vitally needed to enable the increased forces to operate effectively to provide adequate protection. These increases will also permit the forests to complete the preplanning required on all areas to facilitate the prompt control of fires which are not controlled during the initial attack. The 10-year plan has been implemented in the manner shown by this table. If we are to get even minimum protection for our national-forest lands, the appropriations must be brought up to the 10-year plan total at once. The following figures illustrate the point: Fiscal year 1954 Fiscal year 1955 Fiscal year 1956 Fiscal year 1957 regular protec tion and Regular 1 Special 2 Regular Special 2 Regular 1 Special 2 The following tabulation shows the fire control expenditures on the Angeles Forest by years for the last 11 years: These figures in no way reflect the tremendous loss incurred above the cost of control in flood damage, structures, water, recreation area and human suffering. This problem is further aggravated by military caused fires, especially aircraft. 11 California Division of Forestry man lost his life on a fire in the Cleveland National Forest. 2 Outside counties include Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles. 3 California Division of Forestry jurisdiction includes San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Luis Obispo Counties. 4 Suppression costs and other damages not available from Los Angeles County. NOTE.-Fires on Hunter Leggett Military Reservation not included. The problem is receiving attention at this time and steps are being taken toward a solution. The watershed fire council became aware of the inability of the Forest Service to fill positions and instituted a study of this problem. While this study is not completed we have already found that glaring differences of salaries, working conditions and opportunities exist in southern California between the Forest Service and other fire agencies. As an illustration: FOUR BASIC FIRE-CONTROL POSITIONS Comparing salaries of U. S. Forest Service, Los Angeles County forester and fire warden The watershed council requests your consideration on these primary points: 1. Adequate appropriations to implement the 10-year plan. 2. A complete study of salary schedules, living conditions, hours worked, and benefits, for the Forest Service personnel. 3. An expanded and accelerated research program in the field of fire prevention and control, including: (A) Heavy equipment: cats, 4-wheel-drive tracklaying tankers, transports. (B) Fixed-wing and helicopter aircraft. (C) Hazard reductions. (D) Fire retardents. (E) Small tools and equipment, fast couplings, light hose, etc. The Federal Government assumed the stewardship of these lands just after the turn of the century, the full responsibility of this stewardship should be accepted and exercised. Give our men of the Forest Service adequate support, new equipment, adequate salaries, living and working conditions on a scale available to other services, access roads, full crews, quick response, aircraft, and other modern tools, and our staggering losses will be reduced. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Carter. We appreciate your statement. You will be back tomorrow with your prepared statement, when we may have some questions that the committee will desire to ask. Mr. HALEY. Mr. Chairman, prior to adjournment, I would like to ask unanimous consent that the picture of the dam on which I questioned one of the witnesses be made a part of the files of this hearing. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, it is so ordered. Without objection, the other picture submitted may also be made a part of the file. (The pictures will be found in the committee file.) The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the statement, when filed, will be made a part of the record in the regular order. The subcommittee will stand in recess until tomorrow morning at 9:30. (Whereupon, at 5: 30 p. m., the committee adjourned, to reconvene at 9:30 a. m., October 9, 1957.) FOREST FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1957 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, Los Angeles, Calif. The subcommittee met, pursuant to recess, at 9:30 a. m., in room 518, the Federal Building, Hon. Clair Engle, presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The subcommittee will be in order. We have something like 17 witnesses today, so we will have to limit the direct presentation to about 10 minutes apiece. It boils down to about 180 minutes, or 3 hours, of testimony, not allowing any time for any questions. We will request those presenting their testimony who have prepared statements to undertake to summarize in 10 minutes, and then their prepared statement can be handed to the committee and in its complete form made a part of the record following the summary state ment. There is one group of witnesses here we will call first, and we will question them en banc, if the committee is agreeable. First is N. L. Clarine, superintendent of communication, Southern California Edison Co., Alhambra, Calif. Do you have a prepared statement? Mr. CLARINE. Yes, I do. The CHAIRMAN. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.) The CHAIRMAN. You may proceed. STATEMENT OF N. L. CLARINE, SUPERINTENDENT OF COMMUNICATION, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO., ALHAMBRA, CALIF. Mr. CLARINE. Gentlemen, my name is N. L. Clarine. My office address is 411 South Marengo Avenue, Alhambra, Calif. I am employed as a supervisor by the Southern California Edison Co. and have been in charge of fire-prevention activities for the company for the past 12 years, working in cooperation with all the fire-fighting agencies throughout central and southern California. Within the areas we serve, I have under my supervision one employee who devotes full time to coordination and cooperative work with these agencies. For 10 years prior to that time, at intervals, I was stationed in three of the national forests in central and southern California, and am familiar with the problems and activities of the various fire-fighting agencies. 151 |