BRUSH DISPOSAL PROBLEM 53 



Account should also be taken of the direction of the wind in relation 

 to reserved trees, and the torch used with discretion accordingly. 



"The balance of the crew should 'chunk up' the piles so that 

 a rim of unbumed limbs, twigs, and needles will not be left, and 

 should with shovels confine the fire to the space immediately about 

 the piles. 



"3. The foremost consideration in brush burning is to 

 lessen the fire menace from the logging debris in such a way that as 

 Httle as possible of the reserved timber and young growth will be 

 hurt. It is not necessary, therefore, to bum every pile, for, when 

 an occasional pile is of necessity close to young trees, it is far better 

 to leave it than to bium it and damage them. It is also unnecessary 

 to bum the brush absolutely clean to a bed of ashes. The coarser 

 pieces are not a fire menace so long as aU the fine twigs and needles 

 are consumed, and though unsightly for a year or two, they are 

 not so much so as a group of scorched or dying poles and saplings. 

 It is usually better silviculturally to have the piles bum moderately 

 than to have them bum fiercely, and the increased cost of slow 

 burning is amply justified. 



"4. In general, the fall is the best season for brush burning 

 in practically every part of the District. On all sales therefore, 

 all the brush piles which have accumtdated to date should be burned 

 in the fall and early winter. In large sales where logging is in 

 progress during the winter and early spring, in order to avoid 

 carrying through the dry season a large quantity of brush piles, 

 it may be best to do some spring brush burning. In any event, 

 where a large quantity of brush is on hand in the spring, strips of 

 brush piles should be burned for fire lanes. Begin fall burning 

 as soon as the woods are wet enough, and spring btuning as soon 

 as the piles are dry enough. The burning seasons are short and 

 should be made the most of. 



"5. The key to successful brush burning is the selection of 

 exactly the right time to do the burning. When the season is 

 right for burning, prompt action should be taken to get the biuning 

 crew on the ground. The weather for each day must be considered. 

 On windy days or during the hot mid-days, if the burning cannot 

 be done without danger or damage to young growth, it must be 

 discontinued until conditions are right. On some steep brushy 

 slopes, burning may be safe only when the brush is rather wet or 

 when snow is on the ground. In short, use judgment in selecting 

 the day and the time of day for burning each part of a slashing, i.e. 

 do it only at such times as will insure the best silvicultural results, 

 and the administration of the crew should be so arranged as to 

 accomplish this, even though to do so increases the cost of the 

 brush disposal." 



The Situation on Private Lands 



The Oregon forestry law requires that slashings shall be burned 

 between June ist and October ist, and that these fires must be confined 



