February, Wl @ Introduction “The Aerial Forest Fire Patrol for the season of 1920 started when personnel of the Niath Aero Seundron was moved from Mather Field to Fresno and Ret Diu on May 10, 1920. ‘The patrolling was to cover the State of California in accordance Iwith patrol routes as indicated below: "Patrol No, I-From March Field to Rockwell Field and retura. *Patrel No, 2-From March Field to Santa Barbara and re- ‘ra, Patrol No. $-From Fresno to Bakersfield and rewwm, Patrol Ne. 4—From Fresno to Cooperstown and return, Patrol No. S—From Mather Fieid to Cooperstowa andre Patrol No, 6—From Mather Field to Red Bluff and reture, Patrol Ne. From Red Bluff to Alturas and return. Patrol No, &—From Red Bluff to Montague and return, Patrol No, 9—From Red Bla to Covelo and return. ‘Barly in the seavon it became apparent that the only Air 1 for Patecle Non A and 2 wae fariabed by A YEAR OF THE AERIAL FOREST FIRE PATROL A Report Submitted by the Air Officer of the Headquarters Ninth Corps Area at San Francisco Service trons availble for this work would by those from the two squadrons on duty in the ‘Ninth Corps Area, namely, the Ninth and Nineiy-trst,” Accordingly, plane rere. ret ‘made to patrol only the forests in the State of California, 3 this ‘State had the longest dry Season and consequently the Bieatest continuous fire hazard. ‘Tlowever, about the middle Df May conditions in Oregon became such that, after a confer- gfe among the Governor ofthe State of Oregon, the Distt Forester of the ‘Sixth Forestry District, the State Forester Of the State of Oregon and the Air Offecr of the Ninth Corps ea ass ere coolte,wiereby gurls woud sac sgon about july 1st. Flight “A” of the Ninety-hest Squ ron was, therefore, taken from border patrol and sent 10 Gregon tor forest patrol duty, beginning operations on July nt, according to schedule. Radio stations were established at the following places on the dates indicated; the radio personnel for the ground stax Hoes, Nopether with the ‘signal corns ceciving’ ets (No. BC-ILA), being sent ost from the Presidio of San Fran- cisca by automobile truck to each station, with the exception Of the stations in Oregon, Yo which places Tal transportation was furnisheda Flying February, 1921 Name of Station Mather Field, Cal. Fresno, Cal. Red Bluff, Cat Alturas, Cal March Field, Cat, Santa Bathata, Cal Reckwell Field, Cal Hot Springs, Cal. 1 Approximate Date Establishes Established between May 10th ‘and May 15th. Established between June 10th User Sk) ae Pas eee, vai in eae. | Pa ‘The routes as outlined contemplated the pilet's fying from the Base ef the cub bate in about twe hours, whieh, together ‘pil the fetura trip, would make about feu hourg ia te aie Hy having three ite for each patrol it wae thought that cach pil would it this way have two days off for each day af fiying. ‘This was considered. the maximom amount of Aying swhich should be required of the pls, due tothe fect that the Country over which Nights were mace was exceedingly ro emergency landing Relds were few and far between, and in Amott every instance wherean tierrecy, oF forced acing ‘war mide, a complete wreck resulted. Later im the season dive the shortage of ersennel, it was found necessary to combine falrole Nos. End 5 (irom Fresno to Cooperstown Saad return, and from Mather Fiell to Cooperstown andre am). When these two patrols were combiaca, the pct few rom Ferano to Mather Field in one day, teturning (0 Fresno onthe following day. : TERE method of ficaling contented the iets adhering to the routes a5 Tald out on the map, in case’a fre was dis covered, the plot was permitted fo leave his patrol route for distance not to cxeecd fifteen (18) miles in order to deter™ imine the exact Inston of the Sze and the other detail wich was necessary for the Porest oficial to have in oFder 1 fight te fre success, “The plane patrol aavaliy left the base about 9 AL ML, ar- riving atthe Sub-base about 31 A,'M Tt then remained over fiat abeut 1B. ML, ceriving at its home station again about 3°P. My'so that about four hours of twenty-four the aero plane was in'the af covering some fart ‘of the rational fr Ran” Te geentest fre hasneé te believed tobe dering the imide of the day, when the sun is Poitest, and wen most of he demrnere has lel the cod. For this rearon an attempt ‘was made 19 have the patrols cover the forests dur Potion ef the day. It fe not belewed, howewer, ta fie most ecient use of aecoplanes for forest fire patrel work Wie believed that daring. the next season 2. plan. of parol will be devcloped which wil combine the method of peteoling hed with > scheme wherchy the patrols wil be used én special ‘reconnaissance musions for cbserving and directing the Baht Ing of large fire. Such a use of the acroplane was tex 'fouted manner during the past season tnd’ proved. entirely Successful ‘The maps used were not entirely satisfactory for either the pilots or the observers. There was no siandard map avail Shle for all parts of the State of California, and Gregor had anventircly diferent set of mapa. In order to remedy this ‘imcurty & conference was Feld with the Fores offcils to determine the beet poraile lord 91 map cvailale for forest fire patrol work The Forest officals will endeavor to pre- Page setifctony man for, the coming sen 7 aiding. fields were developed as rapidly a5 was possible in al cates Ie Was endeuvered to have der Fetds within fying distance of the various patrols, to insure their eing kept and marked, steps were taken 10 Interest the variows towne slong the pitrole to prepare such innding feids. The number of fanding felds procured in this manner, however, wat very timated. Te planned. for the Coming’ year to have the Forest Service mark each ef the idnding ‘Selde selected "sx possible emergency fields." The rethod of doing this will Have to be a Forest ficial from ach distict go over the country in the immediate vicinity of fhe patrols wth an rat by aerenlane and invet by automobiles, 30 tha¢ all landing fields wil be marked before the patrols actually start Supplies and Equipment ‘The planes uscd this year were all DIT-4-Ts, and, althoush they were criticised in a mild manner, there i np. other TYE Of plane known to the undersigned. which would tbe etter Sdapted. for forest Are patrol duty. “The majortiy of the Pilots Teel that if they had a two-engine plane which could be flown on one engine and which had a cruising radive of about fixe hours, they would feel safer while on patrol, Especial attention is invited to the fact, however, that there wat oaly fone case of 2 forced lending during the past season with & DH-FB which resulted fatally-this inspite of the fate that there were 476085 miles Hown, covering a period of 2994 hours, The cruising radius of the Dil-4-B was ample, except where very strong head-winds were encountered” In some instances this uccesstated the pilo's remaining in the air over four hours, The greatest defect found in the aeroplane was in the tires. It hes been demenstrated by the patrols this Year that the subber in these tires has, deteriorated to. such Bevectent tat wae Pract impose ttl je when 2° ire would blow out, thereby causing a. wheel 10 cola End the aeroplane to go on its note and sometimes om its back, ‘There were many such minor accidents during the past season. Its hoped that better tires and betier wheels will be secured Before the next scason starts. ‘During the frst part of the season it was found necessary at variour times 10 diccontiaue one or more patrola, de to the shortage of supplies for the upkeep and repair of the aero- planes. ‘This may’ have been due to lack of foresight on the part of he supply offccrs of the various bases, However, Steps will be taken for the coming year to see that similar rouble 18 not encountered. occ, ae, Bose of the acrepane patrol for without the radio the aeropane eta ity sara Gee Eo tt SNe area dese mt Sas INE Sah eee ie oat Boece ete se Puttar aoe ec sacha ee i St i eae dale Satie a ‘Attention js invited to the inprovemeat of conditions, sub- squent to August Ist over thore price to this date. ‘Thi exilained by. the fact that prior to August Ist enlisted per: Sdanel were in charge of the radio equipmert at the varus ‘bases ad sub-bases, and although itis true that the receiving seis Had avery limited range, yet the enlisted men cha not foiow whether this condition was the fault of the reecving station iself, or'of the set on the aeroplane. “After the radio foffcers were Su:imned to diy with the various pattol However, conditions. improved so materially that the ae plone were brim eating dxance of ground sitions Practically al the time ‘while on patrol, Ie'is hoped. that Gucing the next season the ground receiving station will be manned exclusively by. Air Service personnel itis believed that the radio system forthe coming year should include one tractor, or equally powerful set estab: lished at Fresno and Red Biuif in California, snd at Medford fand Eugene in Oregon. Theve tractor ts, ia. conjunction ‘with the. permanent sending’ sets at Rockwell, March and Wither Pied wold provite 3 constant souree’ of cermmn cation from Portland cn the north to Rockwell Field on the South, Te is recommended that this matter be suidied ares fully by the Radio Sestion in Weshington, and that result of such stady be forwarded to this office, so that requisitions for ihe necessary patrel eeaton actually sarts Iti also recom ended that the Focset Service sccare and tnstall receiv ets, so that there: will be at less ne available for each tonal Torest, thereby providing another Tink in the chain of Fapid. communication between the aeroplane and the man who actually directing the Fre-Ashting “There. are ‘aufcient foresters in te Forest Service who understand radio to Make his scheme not only possible, but practiable ‘Constant communication is essential lesween the tases and the stlvhaces During the pact seacon. thie -wse- maintained: by aeroplane, tclegeaph and. lone distance: teleghone. The ekpence to the Government will be materally decreased if Network of radio stations such as is Herein ousined 9 estab lished, Tefore the patrol for the coming season is started, eufciot trained radio ‘cffcers and. eniised men shoUld be on ‘hand it the’ Nivth Compe “Area to permit of one radio ofteer being. stationed at ea of the following places March Field, Ca Minther Field, Cal Bresno, Col Red Biufl Cat. Eugene, Ore