Overview
Mon. Jan. 29.
Easterly sprang up again + the Main Wedge Spur caught fire so my scrubbing was for naught. Logged up + stoked fires in Leighton p[addock] at foot of Up[per] Ravine Spur + later walked round the hilltop. As I had feared the fire in bush in spreading has now destroyed a large part of the east b[oun]d[ar]y fence along "2nd burn + in some places huge rata tops are lying on the fenceline. A lot of logs + rubbish on "2nd burn" have gone too - Leighton-Top p. fence on hilltop unharmed so far. In pm continued repairing Leighton-Mill p. fence + put
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in strainers for the little gate near Narbey's. Very strong north-easterly in evening - the fire in sawdust spread on to old mill site + burned a lot of good beams I had stacked up. I moved a quantity of other timber to place of safety. I could also see strong fires spreading southward across the upper parts of L[owe]r. Ravine + Punga Spurs. It is hard to say where the fire will go next. Hope whare + big shed survive.