The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-08-02
FOREST FIRE LINES.

Pine forests are I'm all proba bility the
most easily set on fire and this Is especial
iy true OF those growing on sandy SOIL
Such forests form the chief stand OF the
district at chorin. little village near
Eberswalde, In Prussia. The pines
Pfnus sylvestris) are growing In clear
Stand on sandy soil. presumably the del
Ia formation OF the under ice streams OF
the glacier that once covered the region
The stand is especially endangered by the
main line OF railroad from Berlin to stet-
tin. but, despite these conditions there
have been very few serious forest fires in
IL. That there have not been more Is
due solely to the excellent system OF fire
lines which cut up the stand into small
sections and successfully prevent the
spreading OF any fire that may start.
Such Is the complete system OF fire lines
In use I'm the district and by means OF
them stand very exposed 10 danger from
fire has escaped all large fires for long
period OF years The railroad bears "a
large part of the expense of the formation
of the primary fire line as we'll as its en-
tire cost of maintenance; the secondary
belt and the fire roads are paid for by the
department OF forestry.
Adjoining the line of the railway and
running parallel TO 1t, is the main ire
line. This Is a strip, about thirty-five
feet wide. on which small number OF
trees are kept as spark catchers." The
trees used for this purpose are OF various
genera, birch, beech, pine. etc, but the
forester I'm charge gives the pine the pref
erence, as IL Is evergreen and consequent-
ly of greater service I'm the early spring
when the danger OF fire is greatest. The
trees are kept clear OF branches for at
least two to three feet from the ground;
and
some low growing green herb. All dry
material and all weeds are carefully re-
moved. These precautions are taken to
prevent the fire from making rapid head
way Back of the strip just described
Is shallow ditch some four feet in
width which runs parallel to the track.
This ditch Is very carefully freed OF all
growths whatever and from two to three
times In the course of the spring and
summer the earth Is loosened so that the
fresh broken soil Is always exposed. The
strip and ditch together form the regular
form OF fire line along railroads and are
excellent i'm preventing large fires. Sup
pose that "A spark alights I'm the ground
covering and this takes fire; there are no
dry lower branches nor any weed
growth which can furnish. fuel to the fire.
so that IL runs but slowly. III the fire is
not discovered and put out. II finally
reaches the ditch and there. not having
previously attained any size, IL is unable
TO get across and therefore burns itself
out
In those localities which arc most en-
dangered by the trains. further system
of FIRE lines is employed. This extra pro-
tective belt occurs back OF the before
mentioned ditch. A section Of the normal
stand is divided. by four-foot bitches sim
liar TO the first. into squares with a side
OF about thirty feet The area embraced
within these squares is kept free from all
such things as fallen branches, dry grass
and the like. The bitches arc swept clear
OF all pine needles and other easily in
hammable stun and the ground Is kept
bare by hoeing. This extra protective
belt prevents the spread OF any fire which
starts within the ordinary fire line beside
The railway and IL only a necessity in
especially exposed localities where sparks
are liable TO be blown beyond the ordi-
nary lineS.-ForeSter.