CHAPTER VII 



FOREST FIRES 



A PARTY of boys and girls, spending vacation 

 -^ ^ on the shore of a pretty lake, made supper 

 out-of-doors, and lit a fire to boil the kettle. When 

 they had gone home, the darkness, gathering over 

 lake and shore, was lit in one spot by an angry 

 glare, the beginning of a forest fire which burned 

 for forty-eight hours till heavy rain put it out. 

 If the wind had shifted a few points while the fire 

 was at its height, several charming summer homes 

 would have been reduced to ashes. As it was, 

 many fine trees were destroyed, and what had been 

 a valuable and beautiful building site became an 

 ugly sun-baked desolation. All this trouble fol- 

 lowed for want of a little thought, a little care, 

 and perhaps five minutes' work in stamping out 

 sparks and embers. 



It Is best never to leave a camp fire without 

 making thoroughly sure that It is out. Clear away 

 a space for several feet around the fire, and 

 remove rotten wood, dead leaves, bits of bark, 

 and everything that can burn easily. Would you 

 set fire to anyone's home? Good timber Is quite 



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