FIRE PROTECTION 281 



see if the foresters and watchers are at their stations 

 and are doing their work properly, and also that the 

 right number of tickets are at the starting huts. 



" The ticket-patrolling of lines is done in turn by 

 one of the two watchers attached to a station, and 

 means about a couple of hours' work for him each day. 

 For the rest of the day the watchers are engaged m 

 sweeping dry leaves oft* the lines, collecting them in 

 beds of watercourses and other safe places, and burning 

 them at night. By the time the hot weather is well 

 set the sweeping has been completed and the lines have 

 a 6 -in. growth of green grass on them. About this 

 time fires in private forests are seen in the distance, 

 and the range officer organises parties of labourers, 

 and, with the assistance of foresters in charge of the 

 blocks, counter-fires the private forests from the external 

 lines of his reserve. In about four or five days the 

 fires started by the Forest Department meet the other 

 fires and the fire burns out at a safe distance from the 

 reserve, and in this way the Government forests are 

 secured from external danger from fires for the rest 

 of the season. After this the fire-watchers keep taking 

 the patrol- tickets round, and guard against danger from 

 fires starting within the reserve by keeping a careful 

 watch on the persons passing through the forest. 

 When the rains have regularly set in and all danger 

 from fires has entirely disappeared, the fire-watchers 

 are paid off." 



Ticket-patrols are not used in all Indian fire-protected 

 forests. The patrolling has always to be done, but 

 the supervision of its execution depends on the activity 

 and trustworthiness of the permanent staff. In many 

 forests other forest works languish during the hot 

 weather and the regular staff has more time to devote 

 to inspection. The above account was written by a 

 range officer, and no reference has been made to the 

 administrative officer in charge of the forests, who 

 should be particularly active during the dangerous 

 season ; he should constantly inspect lines and see 



