PROTECTION OF FORESTS FROM FIRE 273 



extensive trails for patrol to prevent fires, and supple- 

 menting them by wide, cleared fire-lines to stop any fires 

 that may start. 



Cleared fire-lines are also used in extensive pine for- 

 ests on dry, sandy land. Fires start easily and run 

 swiftly under such conditions, and fire-lines are easy to 

 construct and comparatively cheap to maintain. Thus, 

 in the pine forests of northern Germany and southern 

 France, wide cleared lines are used to supplement the 

 road systems. 



The danger from fire is always very great in the re- 

 gions of the Tropics that have a pronounced dry season. 

 In India, for example, fire protection constitutes one of 

 the greatest problems of management. The forest be- 

 comes very dry in the hot season, and there is a great 

 abundance of grass, which ignites readily and carries fire 

 swiftly. Under these conditions cleared fire-lines are 

 absolutely necessary for efficient protection. 



The width of fire-lines varies greatly under different 

 conditions. In general, the following classes from the 

 standpoint of width may be recognized: Normal, from 6 

 to 15 feet; wide, from 15 to 30 feet; very wide, from 30 

 to 60 feet. In Europe fire-lines are usually about 10 to 

 1 5 feet wide, but in the pine plains they are often as 

 wide as 50 feet. 



In this country such fire-lines as have been con- 

 structed are usually less than 1 rod in width. In the 

 chaparral of California, however, broad lines, from 40 to 

 60 feet wide, have given the best results in stopping fires. 



