Fire

​I remember watching a movie where a dog was barking and the person talked to the dog, and interpreted the bark as the dog saying fire.  The whole place was evacuated but it was a false alarm.  There have been a few times in my life where if a dog had barked, and it was interpreted as fire, it would have been right.
One in particular was memorable.  Our place in Townsville backed on to Castle Hill (the local landmark.  It was just short of being a mountain.  One guy wanted it to be a mountain and took dirt to the top to make it higher).  Going up the road from our place was a vacant allotment next to us and an elderly couples home (they had an immaculately kept old holden which was a classic even back then).
In the vacant allotment was a creek that would run after we had a few inches of rain.  I was probably up there as there had been some rain sometime before.  The creek was soon going to be dry again.
I was playing with matches (as you do).  Suddenly, instead of being a little controlled burn it had turned into a raging fire that had gotten away from me.  Sort of reminds me of what can happen when I shoot my mouth off.  What is little and controlled can get away from me and I want to disappear.
Well when the fire took hold I just wanted to disappear.  It is amazing how adults will not play our game sometimes.  I had a plan.  I asked my mum if I could visit a friend who lived down the road.  Bar Humbug.  She said no.
It was not long before it became obvious why I wanted to get away.  The fire brigade probably gave it away.  It was during this incident that my appreciation of fire grew.  I remember watching it in the grassland out the back.  I never knew fire could move so quick.
The elderly couple had a bamboo grove in their back yard.  It was big.  Higher than a double story house.  The width of it has probably grown in my mind but it was impenetrable.  The fire made it to that bamboo.
Everywhere else was dealt with but the fire brigade had to come three times to get the fire in the bamboo.  Every time it was felt it was dealt with it and the fire brigade felt they could leave, it would flare up again.
It was all exciting but it was excitement we could do without.  I think my appreciation of fire has come from that and a fire almost getting away from me under our low set home.  Once it was controlled I felt it was time to do something else.
Also many years ago I drove from the city to Burpengary via Kallangar.  So much was ablaze.
I think maybe our neighbour needs to appreciate fire judging bu the flames that are higher than houses coming from his back yard.  Just as well Merril and I had pulled back the cover over our trailer.  Ambers could have rendered it a small pile.
Still. fire has its uses.  It is great for keeping people warm and for cooking.  But I cannot think of a time uncontrolled fire is good.  Never been for me anyway.