IX APPENDIX. 



adverse as to make successful counterfiring from roads and narrow 

 firelines impossible the safest course is to collect all available 

 labour, retire to the nearest wide fireline and there counterfire 

 with the hope that the additional width will hold out a greater 

 prospect of success. 



opera- ^ke ^ re having been brought under control it is necessary to 



tiona. attend to the large quantity of burning material in the shape of 



trees, logs and smaller timber which will usually be found scattered 

 throughout the affected tract. Old, dead, hollow trees require 

 particular attention and unless felled and the fire burning in them 

 completely put out constitute a special source of danger. The 

 whole of the burnt area should be divided into definite units of 

 work and a subordinate with a gang deputed to each to extinguish 

 all burning and smouldering material therein. Such subordinates 

 and labour should camp at the scene of the fire, the Eange Officer 

 seeing that adequate arrangements are made for their food. It is 

 important to extinguish all smouldering material in as short a time 

 as possible, especially if the fire has occurred during the sal leaf- 

 fall. At this particular season the leaves are shed in such large 

 quantities that they soon form a new and thick inflammable layer 

 on the ground which is likely to be set alight by any smouldering 

 wood and another fire, though a slow one, may start and travel to 

 an adjoining unburnt tract. It is thus very important that the 

 swept strip round the whole of the burnt area should be kept as 

 clean as possible. Instances have been witnessed where, during 

 the time of heavy leaf -shedding a series of fires have occurred in 

 patches on the site of the original outbreak. If the Eange Officer 

 cannot himself stay at the scene of the fire it is at least necessary 

 that he should visit the area daily until he has thoroughly 

 satisfied himself that all smouldering material has been properly 

 extinguished. 



Fire protection in the Kills. 



1. The idea is ingrained in the local people that burning of 

 the forest late in April or in the first half of May will produce a 



