CH. II 



FIRE PROTECTION 283 



is also necessary to warn all villagers, especially those 

 having rights or privileges within" the forest, and all 

 contractors whose men come in, of the consequences 

 which they will have to bear in case of contravention 

 of the regulations. 



In appointing the temporary establishment of fire- 

 watchers, preference should be given to the inhabitants 

 of neighbouring villages. This gives them an interest 

 in fire protection, especially if, with successful protection, 

 small privileges are granted to them, such as pasturing 

 their cattle within the forest, collection of dead and 

 fallen wood, or access to a spring. They must be made 

 to understand that want of assistance or obstruction 

 on their part will lead to the suspension or cessation 

 of rights and privileges. 



In Government forests the law also usually provides 

 that all right or privilege holders and all men employed 

 on forest works are bound to give information and help 

 in case of fire, and that if they do not give this assist- 

 ance they render themselves liable to various penalties'. 

 If, however, the help has been given willingly and 

 cheerfully, it is not bad policy to give them some small 

 reward for it. 



For all forests, maps should be kept in the office of 

 the forest officer in charge, one for each season, showing 

 the area over which protection has been attempted, the 

 fire-lines and their widths, the fire-stations and, by 

 means of a colour wash, the portions which have been 

 burnt over. The area and date of the conflagration 

 should be noted over the wash, in Indian ink, together 

 with a remark whether the burning was mild or severe. 

 In this way a very clear history of the protection of 

 the forest is obtained, and the after-effects of a fire can 

 also be watched. 



