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Mar. 03 , 2008
　　
　　 The first camp after Spring Festival
　　
　　 3. The Fire
　　
　　 We all turned around and peered into the faraway distance. Dark smoke from the opposite hillside was columning up into the open sky that was pure blue. Obviously, the fire was by no means gentle. On the other side, the good news was that there was just a little breeze that could not be a malicious complice of the fire.
　　
　　 DaSha who was employeed in Local Forest Department put down his backpack without the least delay, and said no more than a word "Go!"
　　
　　 Then it’s decided immediately that the ladies would informed the local officals and the guys would go to the fire as a rescue team. We got several scimitars from the farmers nearby, and then rushed down the hill. Along the path, we saw some farmer who seemed very quiet. They also saw the fire, but it seemed no business with them. I felt kind of discouraged by their indifference. I knew that all hills and woods had been contracted in personal. I thought it’s possible that only the owner of the woods were concerned about the fire as well as the farmers whose woods were around.
　　
　　 But we couldn’t do nothing about it. It’s not long before we got where the fire was going violently. The path that ran across the hill smelt of smoke. We walked in and reached where we had saw the old woman making the fire. Below the path was blanketed with ashes, and all bushes had been vanished. The fire now reached the other side of the path. It’s horrible to think that the path have failed to stop the fire from spreading onto the other side of the path.
　　
　　 Now we could hear clearly the crackling of the fire and cries of people. We followed the noise, and soon we ourselves saw the fire. I had never been so close with fire before in the real world. In fact, I didn’t fear it. Perpahs because the wind was was too tiny to frighten us back.
　　
　　 We began to work in two group. One group tried to cut off the bushes into a long and narrow area that could stop the fire from spreading. Another group did the job of quenching the fire. I cut a branch full of green leaves, and waved it onto the fire. Sometimes and somewhere, the fire was small, it’s not very difficult to kill the fire. But sometimes the fire was so fierce that we had to wait till its climax passed.
　　
　　 All the time, I felt I was in a stove. Now and then, my face couldn’t bear the heat any more. But there was not danger at all. Fortunately, I am not bare-armed, so I didn’t need to fear the thorn that was terribly bothering TieJian who was wearing a short-sleeved sweater. I could saw the blood on his arms.
　　
　　 Most time I felt calm. But sometimes, when a tall fir caught fire that climbed up the tree and devoured it entiredly. Hearing the sizzling of the fire, seeing the soaring flames, I was more or less nervous, worrying flames would get me by chance.
　　
　　 The most horrible thing was the smoke, though there was not much of it, we were suffering from it a lot. I thought it’s the man’s nature to do brave and good things. I saw all guys did valiantly. Around half an hour, some more farmer came to our aid. The fire was still spreading, gladly to see, and under control.
　　
　　 I saw a child of about ten years old who reminded me of the law that forbid kids to join such a dangerous activities. I wanted to warn him. His parents kept telling the boy not to stay too close by the fire. At this, I felt relieved.
　　
　　 About forty minutes later, DaSha called us to retreat. Because more farmers were coming and we also had to move on our way of camping.
　　
　　 When we returned the path, the girls had already been there. They took a bucket of water that was very sparse. They were worrying that we could be suffocated by the smoke.
　　
　　
　　 To be continued …