The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-01
A ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOREST ON FIRE

IN THE MEDICINE Bow RANGE, Sept 90
Tho frosty September nights had killed
the mountain grasses. The west wind. cold.
dry. bracng. had blown steadily for days
through tho pine forests. penetrating into
every nook and eddying dryingly around the
granite crags Tho carpet OF pine needles
spread thickly over the foot hills. was thor
oughly dry. The creeks wcro low. The water
in the ravnes had ceased flowing.
An iron bar thrust into the furnace Of an up
right boiler and vigorously stirred caused the
air TO rush through the open doors. with a gust.
A. it swept through the iiucs and into the con
tlacted ,smokesnck it carried II 1lery column
of sparks and burning bits Of wood with 1t.
Out OF tho smokcstack these sprang and were
lung ON To the couch Of Pine needles lying in
the adjnCcnt forest. lnstnntlythcy were nbiaze.
with II low rurmmr. the fire ran nimbly up
Mammoth Gulch. Fnnke it expanded. and
burning pine needles was replaced by. a loud.
cracking roar. Almost instantly the fire
iIrcshened. and blew up the gplch strongly.
sides. The smoke rolled In vast horizontal
cylinders in the van Of the ire. The case al:
hands inloo overall pockets, the filling OF. pipes.
and the del ibrratc smoking of them. Nothing
mining camp amp until the back i and Side Side Tres
began, 70 descend the hills; then they could
Up tno gulch the head fire. seen through the
smoke, was II dun red, almost copper color
Tiny whirlwnds quickly formed and IN an in
slant many ,coumns of fire rose. with angry
pines, The 6nrninGembers, sucked up through
from an aerial centrifugal machine. and far in
advance of the main fire fresh fires formed
The air became heavy with ashes. The sun
Within the fire limo the very air seemed TO be II
mass of anme through Mhish aouSly heated ted
fury OF the fire increased great pine trees be-
came ablaze. From towering cones of green
"a M SF,Itn in ~. Hnn Inn
bcacons that stood high above tho heaying sea
Of smoke, The burning trees uttered sharp.
Dozens of trees would flare up brightly ut the
same time and as their cones burned or the
through tho air in advance Of tho main fire
line, With great speed the, fire ran through
the light s underbrush md dry twgs Behind
From this arose dense cloud OF light-colored
smoke. Slowly. vcry slowly. was, the carpet
scafsd the main llrc Slowly sin sinking into the the
earth. ai signs Of active, destructive fire disap-
mountain TANKS the smoke issued in millions
| / walked home through the unbnrnt forest.
and packed my household goods preparatory
| To clching them in an abandoned mine shaft,
by IL oc tScS 1T hG Gv sn n had s
| IL the fire was coming. ! heard rne-like re-
ports issuing from the smoke -cloMded forest
Increased in frequency. and thinking tho
deserted mining camp. in almost every house
| on shelves or cnrclcssly thrust between the
/ logs was on fire walked IN ont of the rocky
| glen in which my house stands to witness the
destruction Of the vilIqgc, 1t was not on fire.
down which the side ilre could not descend.
/ The reports had increased in frequency
until ii was rs though y strong sklrmish
| line. were hrskly engaged. The noise was
made 10y falling trees. trees undermined by the
cloakcd fire ofthc pine needle, consumi ng their
roots Faster and faster the trees icll, until
the single reports were no longer distinguish
able. Ii sounded a. though Il battle was being
the mountain valley. Nothing could be seen in
the valley below me. There was u dull iurid
color to the smok e that was all Away of 10
the east. al, the head. Of the valley the smoke
was going on under cloud As sat on high
granite point the wind shifted The southern
| sid" fire became head fire. red line. some
two miles in length rushed up the steep flank
hot ASHES and bits of burning wood
headed the advancing line rs fiery hail:
The wind ,whirling around crags and
into hooks filled with dry branches and
above the rocks Scores az these towering coli
umns %! fire, oscati ing wildly. could b. seen
/ ut once. Again the wind changed with furious
gust and blew strongly from the south. Then.
/ u pinkish cloud of smoke rolled rapidly up
I ward aud through and high above it gigantic
exclamation, points Of flames were blazoncd
against the dark northern sky.
/ Fortwo days We fought side irns, striving TO
T save our houses. II seemed TO be IA hopeless
task We We're well n i,h exhausted when tn"
/ storm clouds gathered around the white peaks
| Of the Medicine Bow range. and IL fierce au-
/ tumnGl storm Of hail and rain fairly flooded the
burning district. The rain fell tar into the night
] The next mprnin. II few rotten etumnS and
logs, smnulder!ng among the, fallen timber
alone remained Of the ierccst fire have ever
/ seen iEANK WIIKEsOS