FIRE PROBLEM IN FOREST OF L'ESTEREL 287 



under forfeiture without a specific reason. The workmen employed must be sufficient 

 for the work in hand. All the weeds, shrubs, and plants of all kinds must be taken out 

 by the roots. However the arbute and phyllaria will be only cut level with the ground 

 upon designation by the local guard. The contractor will cut level with the ground 

 all pines which are designated around cork oak and lop others to one-third their height. 

 "Poorly shaped cork oak will be cut back level with the ground and all wood felled 

 or extracted will be stacked. The products which cannot be utilized will be piled and 

 burned in openings. Any fire, except charcoal pits, is forbidden from the first of May 

 to the first of October and the location of charcoal will be designated by the local ranger 

 and can be visited by employees or officers during the day or night for inspection pur- 

 poses. Before the contract work is accepted there will be a general cleanup of the area 

 cleared and weeds, etc., which have grown up will be burned. Then a month after the 

 permit for work is issued the contractor must open a brush line 6.5 feet wide around 

 the contract area in order to facilitate survey. On fire lines, however, this line will be 

 opened up in the center. In case the contractor refuses to abide by the calculated 

 area a re-survey may be ordered but it will be at the expense of the contractor in case 

 the original survey is found to be correct. All loss to the contractor on account of fire 

 or other natural causes will be at his expense, but in case the area which is being cleared 

 is burned over, a re-estimate of the work may be made and the contract relet." 



The fire lines are usually 132 feet in width on the boundaries (that is, 

 66 feet on the State forest and 66 feet on private land), 66 feet on the 

 ridges but with an increased width of 98 feet where the danger is particu- 

 larly great. The fire lines dividing the compartments are usually but 

 33 feet in width. According to past practice thrifty oak or pine on the 

 lines are usually left uncut, but the tendency now is to clear the lines of 

 all cover, since the needles and leaves falling from the trees on these 

 fire lines often partly destroy their value. An ideal system would be 

 to plant the lines with non-combustible hardwoods. 29 The second clear- 

 ing of fire lines cost $1.31 to $2.32 per acre, and the average cost per 

 acre during the years 1906-1908 was $1.70. 



Ridge lines are almost invariably favored, since they (1) are better 

 for fire fighting, (2) contain less timber, (3) are easier to clear, and 

 (4) facilitate the direction of fire fighting operations. Side-hill lines 

 are never constructed except where absolutely necessary along bound- 

 aries. The lines which are cleared every 4 years become covered with 

 rough grass, ferns, and weeds after 2 years, so that they would not stop 

 fire without artificial aid. It is only by the clearance of brush and debris 

 throughout the forest that crown fires are prevented. 



"The complete brushing aims to entirely remove and burn the weeds. . . . This 

 will materially improve the growth, assure a positive protection against fire for 3 to 4 

 years, according to the soil. . . . One need not hesitate to profit at the time of 

 brushing ... by making a first thinning in the maritime pine saplings . . . 

 increases growth . . . and reduces the danger period." 



29 The American Consulate at Rouen, France, reported that the enclosure of conifer- 

 ous forests with non-inflammable hedgerows of opuntia had been tried out. It is not 

 known by the writer whether the experiment was successful or of practical value. 



