_Forest Fire Coöperation._ A very important part of the plan of fire protection on the National Forests are the coöperative agreements entered into between the Forest Service and private individuals or companies. Such coöperation may be in the form of building improvements for fire suppression, furnishing men in case of fire, furnishing lookouts or patrols, furnishing equipment, and, in fact, in connection with any of the necessary means for fighting fire. This coöperation has been of mutual benefit. One National Forest may coöperate with one or more neighboring Forests or with sawmills, power plants, logging camps, or railroad companies. Coöperation may also be with a well-organized Forest Protection Association, of which there are a large number in the Western States. These coöperative agencies agree to send a large force of their men to fires on the National Forest in their vicinity, and the Forest Service reciprocates by sending men for fires occurring on their lands, which may threaten National Forest timber. Often coöperative agencies enter into agreement to build jointly with the Forest Service certain improvements, such as telephone lines, lookout towers, or trails, which will benefit public fire protection as well as private. Many sawmills and logging companies who operate on or near the National Forests have agreements with the Service, by which they suspend all operations and send all their help to fires which threaten National Forest timber. All timber sale contracts of the Forest Service provide for coöperative fire protection. _Fighting Forest Fires._ The most important requirements for successful fire suppression are: quick arrival after discovery, adequate forces of men, proper equipment, thorough organization on the fire line, skill in attacking, and careful, systematic patrol after the fire is thought to be out. All fires, whether large or small, require generals to lead the attacking forces, and the strategy of fire fighting can only be learned after long experience on the fire line. A cool, level-headed man is the greatest necessity in an emergency, for it is as disastrous to get too many men as it is too few. A few men that know how to attack a fire are worth a great deal more than a great many that are inexperienced. [Illustration: Figure 44. Fire in a Lodgepole pine forest in Colorado. Arapaho National Forest, Colorado] [Illustration: Figure 45. A mountain fire in "Chaparral," five hours after it started. Pasadena, California]