AN AUSTRALIAN STUDY OF AMERICAN FORESTRY. 61 
The general method of attack after establishing the camp as close to the 
scene of operations as possible, is to endeavour to encircle the fire, if small, by 
clearing round it a line free of all inflammable material, with, on the far side 
of it, a trench cut to the mineral soil. 
Where the fire is too large or too dangerous to be encirled, the scheme 
is to proceed round the flanks and pinch it in. The fire line is built as near 
as practicable. If the heat is unbearable, backfiring is adopted. 
I do not regard the Australian problem as difficult. Bush fires, as a rule, 
do not attain the dimensions and intensity of the forest fires of America; the 
forest is more resistant, crown fires are very infrequent, and the forests are of 
less extent and much greater accessibility than in the United States of America. 
One cannot hope, however, to put out a bush fire by pressing a button. 
The solution of our fire suppression problem lies in the development of 
a forest management plan, involving a topographic survey and the laying 
out of a system of roads; the establishment of forest stations and the employ- 
ment of forest overseers to supervise the general forest operations. 
Upon that organisation can be based a simple fire plan providing for— 
(1.) The attachment of conditions to timber sale agreement, licenses 
and permits, specifying measures of brush disposal, camp fire 
precautions, &c. 
(2.) The attachment of conditions to licenses and permits, &c., 
arranging for the employment of all forest users for fire- 
fighting, as has been done in the Pilliga Forest, New South 
Wales. 
(3.) The effectuating of arrangements with local residents for 
reporting fires and assisting in their suppression. 
(4.) The creation of the “burning house” sentiment among the 
general public by publicity methods. 
(5.) The carrying out of fire plan studies. 
Telephonic communication with forest overseers is desirable. Establish- 
ment. of lookout stations will be necessary ‘in only a féw instances. 
The forest overseer would be charged with the execution of the fire plan 
upon his forest. 
I deprecate any reliance upon divisional or isolating firebreaks. The cost 
of establishing a 100 per cent. system io deal with a 2 per cent. burn is, 
.as I have said before, unwarranted, and much more effective work can be 
done by direct fire detection and suppression measures. 
The chief difficulties to be confronted are— 
(1.) The stockman’s practice of burning off to secure a fresh shoot 
of: grass. 
(2.) The lack of an organisation for detecting the outbreak of fire, 
and for suppressing it when discovered. 
The simple measures proposed meet all these difficulties, and provide 
ample and vurganised protection to the forest at the minimum cost. 
Cuapter V. 
THE FOREST GRAZING BUSINESS. 
The management of the forest fodder resource is a very important branch 
‘of forest administration and one to which we in Australia must devote 
‘considerable attention. 
