198 PRACTICAL FOREST MANAGEMENT. 



With these general lines of policy defined, we may now consider 

 the details and technique of fire protection. 



A. MEASURES TO PREVENT OUTBREAK op FIRES. 

 (1) External firelines. The following conclusions are based 

 on the assumption that it is illegal to burn or counterfire in pri- 

 vate forests without the owner's permission : 



(a) All firelines must be clear felled. (It is recognized how- 



ever, that firelines are very seldom automatic in 

 checking a fire, the labours of the fire-gang are 

 essential and the principal uses of firelines are to 

 afford the fire-gang adequate assistance.) 



(b) Width of firelines. No fixed rules can.be laid down 



about the width of firelines or their utility as a 

 protection against fires crossing from outside. Bach 

 division must consider the circumstances of each part 

 of its boundary. When the burning of forests outside is 

 not objected to by the owner, a 50' line will ordinarily 

 be sufficient, and the thorough burning of the adjoin- 

 ing forest will be the principal means of protection. 

 Where this is not possible, and the conditions are 

 adverse, no width of fireline will be adequate and it 

 will be necessary to burn a wide strip of forest (with- 

 out felling). If the forest inside is of the greater 

 value, an endeavour should be made to come to terms 

 with the owner to allow a strip of his land to be burnt 

 on terms to be arranged. Otherwise it will be 

 necessary to burn a strip inside the fireline. 



When the conditions are less adverse, firelines of varying 

 width according to circumstances, will suffice. A 

 telephone system will be effective in reducing the 

 width of fireline necessary. 



In the hills, if burning of the outer forest is not possible, a 

 well cleared contour path is preferable to a fireline, 

 especially in chir forest. 



