f iros a s cruet "be reckoned with in America doubtless for some 

 tino to cone, I believe "broad firo linos aro not Barraiated 

 hero cinco their cost is greatly increased by inoroaso of 

 width, and a firo which will jump a nix-foot lino will 

 also in moot casos jump a fifty-foot lino. In this coun- 

 try thorofore, tho fire lino can "bo expected to stop only 

 light curfaoo firos. As a basis fron which to worl: in 

 fighting fire, however, I "believe tho firo line has a great- 

 er usefulness. The first thins *o do in fighting a firo 

 is Tinually to "build a fire lino* Is it not posfii"blo then 

 that careful scrutiny of our firo plans nay show the do- 

 sira"bility of the construction of pornanont firo linos in 

 strategic positions, ozac.tly as Y;O now detormino "before 

 tho firos corno, the location of available wet or supplios 

 and oupplios of labor, tools and provisions. 



Fire linos a::oiind timber sales nay bo cliridad 



int o t wo olas s o s : 



1* Private slash areas within or adjacent to national 

 Poroot Land. Here fire lines nay bo necessary to protect 

 national IPorost lend r but in viow of the preceding discus- 

 sion I beliovo they are warranted only - 



(a) When tho aroa is sufficiently snail so that a 

 firo started upon it will bo within the stopping edacity 

 of a fire lino of feasible width, or - 



121 



