as 



safely burned over. The reproduction of more tolerant species which 

 existed under the shade of the high forest will thus be removed from 

 competition, and at the same time a suitable seed bed will be prepared 

 for the desired Douglas fir reproduction. A few years ago the poor 

 demand for hemlock, cedar, and other less valuable associates of 

 Douglas fir Avould have precluded such a method of treatment, but 

 with the increase in demand for these species, which is already be- 

 ginning to be felt, there is no doubt that it may be applied with 

 commercial as well as silvicultural success. 



In the humid portions of this region, especially in the " fog belt " 

 along the coast, surface burning is impracticable during the wet 

 season, when the heavy rains which fall almost every day keep the 

 brush soaked with water and practically fireproof. On the other 

 hand, burning should ilever be done in the dry season after the slash 

 has had time to dry out thoroughly. During this season the dead 

 branches become tinder-like and inflammable, and even the greatest 

 care may be insufficient to prevent surface fires from spreading to 

 the adjacent stand and becoming destructive crown fires. A time 

 should be chosen for the burning when the brush is dry enough to 

 burn well, but not so dry as to cause a hot fire which can be con- 

 trolled only with difficulty. 



The burning should be conducted by a force of men sufficiently 

 large to prevent all danger from the fire spreading to the adjacent 

 uncut areas. It should be done by blocks or compartments, varying 

 in size with the character of the topography and the dryness of the 

 slash, and laid out so far as possible with ridges and streams for 

 boundaries. Where no natural boundaries exist the burning areas 

 will often have to be separated by fire lanes, 50 to 75 feet wide, from 

 which the brush has been cleared and piled back on the area to be 

 burned. In the dense undergrowth to be found in the " fog belt," 

 where lanes of this width could ordinarily be constructed only at a 

 prohibitive cost, skid roads can often be utilized for fire lanes. By 

 starting the fires along the skid roads and allowing them to burn 

 inward toward the center of a burning area, the slash fires can, with 

 due precautions, be effectually controlled. 



Each area should be burned separately, and fire on the second 

 should not be started until that on the first is thoroughly extin- 

 guished. The tops should be lopped and scattered evenly over the 

 surface, but not within 20 feet of remaining trees. A trench should 

 be dug around each tree left for seed, deep enough to prevent fire from 

 creeping through the humus and killing the tree. This trench should 

 be at least 15 feet from the tree. 



[Cir. 150] 



