Overview
Wed. Feb. 18.
Sky thick with clouds, evidently due to heat but too threatening to put off firing the 20 acres of bush on hill-top any longer. So Father + I rode up + at 11.10am, I put in the first torch in the SE corner + we fired first along the south side (where the fire did not start well) + then I went right along the west edge where there was a breeze + the fire got a real start. I had a very rough trip along the western edge but there would have been no burn if this side had not been fired. Father joined me on old NW corner of the block + by this time (1pm) the fire had got a splendid
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hold + a gigantic volume of smoke was rolling east or north-eastwards. I went back to the top of Leighton's Spur + took a photo of burn 2 1/2 hours after firing. Walked a couple of chains on to the burned ground + as far as I could see, the fire had swept the whole surface of the ground tho' there is a terrible lot of timber left of the ground. We returned home + found that the people had arrived for the garden party got up by ladies of the Methodist Church. Changed clothes + joined the merry throng - a big crowd present - most of afternoon was spent at afternoon-tea but most people walked down to stream garden + into bush. At 5pm started driving people back to Levin doing about six trips. Nice cool evening + weather still seems settled. The afternoon was sunny + there was a cool breeze so the weather was perfect for the affair.
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