Natural fires have opened more clear cuts than logging. Golden
Stanley's fascinating of the description the Horseshoe Valley in the 1916 - 1923
era (Pitlamping Through Conscription) mentions that the Horseshoe
Valley was burned over by fire about 1850, leaving charred stumps (one was 18
feet in diameter) and magnificent cedar "spires" of two to six feet in diameter
rising above the second growth. (Some of the second growth logged twice since
then).
In his book, Golden Stanley describes the fire of 1920 that swept up from
Lang Bay, arriving at Camp 6 (lower end of 1st Gordon Pasha) on August 16. It
swept along both sides of the 1st lake, and also up the northwest side of the
Smith Range (Walt Hill and O'Connells hump). Stanley describes the sights he and
his family saw as the fire burned the upper slopes. Fortunately it rained late
in the evening and the fire did not proceed down to the valley where they
watched.
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Research continues on fires; we will add more photos. |
AFTERMATH OF SLIAMMON FIRE
B.C. Forest Service 1914 |
SNAGS ON OLD BURN QUADRA ISLAND
B.C. Forest Service
1940 |
That completes this short theme (for now). Next theme is
Railways