PROTECTION OF FORESTS FROM FIRE 301 



each man where his work will be most effective, but 

 judgment must be exercised in determining the general 

 method of attack. The character of the fire, the charac- 

 ter of the forest, the condition of the atmosphere, the 

 strength and direction of the wind, the rapidity with 

 which the fire is running, and many other points have to 

 be taken into consideration. 



Methods of Fighting Surface Fires. Small surface 

 fires may often be beaten out. This is possible when the 

 fire is burning chiefly in a dry leaf litter or short grass. 

 Where there are tops or piles of dry brush, or the fire is 

 burning through thick brush or undergrowth, beating is 

 very difficult. 



There are various devices for beating. A blanket, 

 coat, or riding slicker is often used. A gunny-sack or 

 piece of canvas is a good implement for beating, particu- 

 larly if it can be wet from time to time. A handful of 

 green brush serves also very well for a beating device. In 

 beating out a fire, one strikes the fire with a sideways 

 sweep, driving the flames and burning material back 

 upon the burned ground. A direct stroke scatters the fire. 



The best way to extinguish running surface fires is to 

 throw sand upon the flames. This method is, of course, 

 practicable only when the soil is fairly clear of rocks and 

 loose enough for ready digging. In the plains of the 

 Atlantic Coast, for example, the sand is so loose that it 

 can be dug up and thrown on a fire almost anywhere. 

 The fighting crews are equipped with long-handled 

 shovels, and- the sand is thrown along the line of fire, 



