The Fire Season

With the advent of summer plantation owners and the Forestry Service look to the safety of their trees. A carelesslythrown match, an unextinguished camp fire....and thousands of pounds go up in smoke. To pin-point fires, lookout stations are manned at strategic points around Nelson. "Photo News" visited that of H. Baigent and Sons, on Fringed Hill, recently where we found Les Leith in splendid isolation. Here, in a one-roomed building, and connected to the outside world only by a radio transmitter and receiver, Les will remain until about April. His job – to keep a watch for fire in his employers' 30,000 acres to the west, and in all other forest land surrounding him. Virtually isolated he may be, but he still has some of the most glorious views in New Zealand below him.

×

 

• 

Les looks over his vast domain. He is looking towards some of the richest forest land in the country.

×

 

• 

The connecting link with the outside world

×

 

• 

His home for six months