A Record of Forest and Field Fires in California from the Days of the Early Explorers to the Creation of the Forest Reserves

Excerpts from cover letter to the Regional Forester: I am attaching hereto the original copy of the very informal bulletin that I have compiled dealing with early day fires in California, their origin, where located and by whom reported. I don't claim that this covers all of the available information on the subject - there is much more - but it does assemble in one place everything available in this office, plus what I dug out of many early-day diaries, historical works, magazines and newspapers. I believe that there is enough here to convince any reader on these points: 1. That the Indians never set as many fires as the old timers would make one believe. 2. That fires increased many fold with the advent of the gold seekers and the clearing of the country. 3. That between 1870 and 1905 the sheepmen were responsible for more fires than any other half dozen agencies combined. 4. That before the creation of the Forest Reserves destructive fires were much more numerous than they have· since been. 5. That the greatest objection to the creation of the Forest Reserves came from the stockmen and particularly the sheepmen.