FIRE PROTECTION 267 



Artificial fire-lines consist of one or two guide-lines 

 and of the trace proper. The guide-line is a cleared 

 line which is used as base, from which the trace is fired, 

 and which should be of sufficient width to enable work- 

 men to prevent the fire at the time of firing from crossing 

 it into the forest. There will be only one of these when 

 there is no objection to the fire extending in one direc- 

 tion. There will be two guide-liues, of which one may 

 be formed by a road, boundary line, or clear bed of a 

 watercourse, whenever the fire is intended to be con- 

 fined within the bounds of the trace. 



The guide-line is always cleared of trees, grass, and 

 overhanging branches, and all stumps should be stubbed 

 out. The trace is usually cleared of trees and stumps, 

 but the grass standing on it is burnt under supervision. 

 Sometimes the trace is not cleared of trees. No doubt 

 the cutting down of trees favours the springing up of 

 grass, which might have been kept down had the trace 

 been kept under full leaf-canopy, and by clearing the 

 trace, especially if it is a broad one, a considerable area 

 may be placed out of timber-production ; but the general 

 opinion of foresters is in favour of cleared lines, not only 

 because less dead leaves and broken dry twigs fall on 

 and litter the trace, but because there is less danger of 

 fire crossing a line by way of the crowns, in which there 

 is always some readily inflammable matter, such as dead 

 branches, hanging birds'-nests, or, at higher altitudes, 

 festoons of moss. The grass on open lines also usually 

 dries earlier than that in the adjoining forest, and can 

 be fired with less risk of a conflagration spreading 

 beyond the line. 



When clearing the guide-line, all the grass which is 

 cut is thrown along the edge of the trace and pressed 

 clown away from the guide-lines. It thus forms a 

 cushion of dry grass, which makes it easier to start 

 burning the trace, which might otherwise be difficult to 

 set alight uniformly, as some portions of the grass in 

 the lines always remain green longer than in others. 

 This is especially the case in depressions where there is 



