Forest Fires

Abstract

LEAFLET No. 9 issued by the Forestry Commission (H.M.S.O., 1931) deals with this subject, which is of growing importance in Great Britain. The type of forests most subject is the coniferous; outside tropical regions, fires in forests of broad-leaved trees are less dangerous. Woodland fires are not new in Great Britain, and in dry seasons they have been only too prevalent on commons. The Forestry Commission attributes twenty-five per cent of the fires occurring nowadays in its new forests to carelessness on the part of picnickers and wayfarers. Since the advent of the Forestry Commission and the large coniferous planting campaign which has been inaugurated under its auspices during the past twelve years, the forest fire problem has entered upon a new phase. The most common form of danger is the surface or ground fire, burning dead leaves, etc., on the forest floor. The stem and crown fire is rarer in Great Britain. Newly planted areas are in greatest danger during March and April, although a dry February produces the same conditions. During a summer drought the danger reappears. The grass, under the influence of dry east winds or a summer drought, becomes as dry as tinder, and a cast-away lighted match or burning cigarette-end will start a fire which will quickly get out of control of the perpetrator of the act. After pointing out the various dangers to plantations situated under differing conditions, the leaflet deals with various methods of control, such as lay-out of plantations, order of felling, removal of debris, patrolling, equipment of tool depots, clearance of growth outside plantations, importance of immediate action, counterfiring, and the measures to be taken after the outbreak.