What term describes a quickly constructed, minimum width, temporary line where fuels have been removed to mineral soil?

The term that best describes a quickly constructed, minimum width, temporary line where fuels have been removed to mineral soil is a scratch line. A scratch line is typically used in firefighting as a preliminary measure to create a barrier that can help control the spread of fire. It is often created when time is of the essence, allowing firefighters to quickly establish an area of removed fuels to inhibit the fire's progression.

In contrast, a control line refers to any barrier that is used to contain a fire, which can include more permanent and formally established lines compared to a scratch line. A safety line generally denotes a perimeter or buffer around an area where firefighters can operate safely, while a perimeter line is more about establishing the outer boundaries of a fire area that may not be as quickly constructed or focused primarily on immediate fire control. Therefore, scratch line is the correct choice in this context for its emphasis on speed and minimal construction.