Connecticut western news., 1880-04-21
FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE.
Farmers and Villagers Battling to Pro-
 teet their Homes.

A correspondent who has been fighting fire in the woods in New Jersey for some days, says:-
 When a fire is started in forest and the wind is strong, it does not creep or eat its way, but it makes great strides. Glowing cinders or blazing embers are hurled forward through the air for rod or mile, as the case may be. The fire fighters in Ocean county hope that an open space of 8 rod may bar the progress of the flame, but they do not trust rivers even mile wide to do so. It all depends on the wind At first the fire sends forth strip or finger, straight through the forest. It travels forward sometimes for short distances with the speed of race horse. Then the burnt space begins to widen near it's starting point until it has given the wind another opportunity, and then another finger of fire goes stream ing across the woods. This process is re- peated, if the wind holds strong, until a whole section of country is in the grasp of the flames. Then at their ease the flames close up. It is 8 New Jersey axiom that no forest fire can be headed off in strong wind.
 When the flames began to move east ward upon Forked River village men were already in the woods trying to save l the timber. Thousands of acres in that vicinity are owned by the following named gentlemen: Capt. Amos Valkenburgh, David s. Barker, Thomas B. Van Ars- dale, and Capt. Furman Matthews. A force of about twenty .men were act ing under their management from early morning, but before night every man in the village that could handle a shovel was hard at work. No man can work directly in front of the fire, but the fire may be "sheered off, ;" as the phrase is. A row of men work along the side of the fire to prevent it's spreading, and whenever the wind lulls they go as near ] the heat of the flames as possible, and try to shovel sand upon the burning leaves and other vegetable matter on the ground. Sand in this country is to be had almost anywhere, and it is said to be a more deadly enemy of fire than water. Dry sand sprinkled on burning log or stump smothers the glowing coals in a singularly effective way. The men in ad- vance make what gain they can upon the fire, and those in the rear seek to hold good what has thus been gaiaed.
 Constant watchfulness must be had all along the line, but all goes for noth- ing if the wind is strong and change able. Much was gained in the fight on Wednesday, but the fire could not be kept from the village with shovels. Three different back fires were started. The second was started mile in the rear of the first, but, like it, was unsuccessful. A wide strip was burned over in each case, but there were not men enough in the early part of the day to guard this strip. Embers leaped over to points where no man was at hand to put them out with shovel and sand. Then, too, the fire, famed by the strong wind, crept across the strip, finding food which the back fire had rejected. The third line of defence, however, guarded by 8 force of fifty men, fighting for their homes and property, was held triumph antly. The fire struck off to the north ward, until it fell upon the blackened track of the other column, which had passed on to Bayville on the preceding afternoon.