More than one hundred refugees, rendered destitute by the fierce fire, which is burning on a sixteen miles front in the Erica district, and has reached uncontrollable proportions, are being accommodated in Erica public hall. Many others are billeted with friends and relatives in the township. Many refugees escaped only because of the precautions recently taken to provide dugouts at the mill settlements.

When the fires started yesterday morning many wives and children of the mill workers were sent to Erica in buses and trucks and on timber trolleys, but when the fires reached their most serious proportions during the afternoon there were between 40 and 50 people with whom contact was not made.

Throughout Sunday eight women and twelve children at Monett’s Mill sat in a 60-feet dug out refuge, where they had provisions and bedding. They remained there all day and night, while the men fought a losing battle to save 17 dwellings, 13 of which were destroyed, with the school house.

Even in the comparative safety of dugouts, the women and children were terrorised by the flames which leapt up the mountain side, sometimes jumping a quarter of a mile from ridge to ridge.

Women described the fire as having the noise of a bombardment. Trees crashed down with terrific reports that could be heard above the roar and crackling of the flames.

[A, 10/1/39]