306 THE PRINCIPLES OF HANDLING WOODLANDS 



Back-Firing. On level ground it is possible to 

 stop crown fires by back-firing, when the conditions are 

 such as to make back-firing possible at all. Thus in the 

 pine forests of the Atlantic Coast crown fires are frequently 

 checked by back-firing. The back-fire burns off the sur- 

 face material, and thus in itself acts as a check to the 

 crown fire, and, if the area burned by the back-fire is 

 large enough, will stop it in this way. At other times, 

 when the back-fire has been successfully started and is 

 well under way, eating back against the wind, it is caught 

 by the hot volume of air generated by the heat of the 

 crown fire. The flames are then turned quickly toward 

 the crown fire, and the meeting of the two lines of flame 

 stops the advance of the fire. 



When fires gain such headway that it is impossible to 

 stop them by direct attack, no matter how numerous and 

 efficient the crew or complete the equipment for fighting, 

 back-firing becomes the only means of stopping the fire. 

 It should, however, be used only when it is absolutely 

 necessary. One of the commonest mistakes in fighting 

 fires is to overestimate the rapidity of the fire and the 

 difficulty of putting it out. A forest fire is always a 

 frightening spectacle, particularly if it is sweeping in the 

 direction of one's own property. Men often become 

 excited and start back-fires when it is entirely unneces- 

 sary. Back-firing necessarily involves deliberately burn- 

 ing over property. When this belongs to another person 

 and one's own forest seems to be in danger, there is a 

 great temptation to sacrifice it. 



