Tennessee Forest Fires Of 1925

The Tennessee Forest Fires of 1925 were a horrendous disaster. Treacherous flames engulfed over half the states forest population while destroying houses and buildings in its way. October was filled with watching people evacuate from their homes and orange flames fill the sky. Many grew sick as the thick air became drenched with smoke and a scent of burning wood. Many who lived where the fires had passed wore scarves over their faces in town in hopes of breathing easier. Deaths covered the local paper as people became trapped in their homes and couldn’t escape. There were few casualties but enough to scar my ten year old mind at the time.


Yes I was a ten year old boy at the time, full of innocence and life which was suddenly replaced with fear and remorse. Some could say my actions of my later human life and the life with which I’m faced now is in result of the disaster of that brisk fall month. That ocean of fire blanketing my home state would always stick with me, even now when things are hard to remember. The start of the fires were never decided and many blamed it on the unusual dry weather but I really know what happened to start them. I remember the exact day like it happened just yesterday.


My dad was hard at work while mother was gone to a special lunch with the other ladies of the town. They left me home alone in trusting that I could take care of myself and no trouble would arise. A group of the older boys in town passed by our house and my little mind wondered where they were going. I looked up to them at the time, they were always having fun and the broads in town seemed to fancy them. My eyes lit up as I noticed one of the boys carrying a bottle rocket in his hand. I quickly decided to follow them as my curiosity and bewilderment got the best of me.


Each boy took turns lighting one of the bottle rockets and goofing off as it spiraled into the air. We were deep in the forest and I would watch as each rocket shimmered red against the deep green of the trees. Each boys laughter made me chuckle on my own and I longed to be older and cooler like them. Soon each boy left and I was stuck in the deep silent woods by myself.


I was just about to leave and sneak back home when I noticed a left over rocket and match tucked away near a rock. Just lighting one wouldn’t be any harm I thought to myself as I skipped over to examine the rocket. Before I knew it I was lighting the cord and running back to watch the fire escape from it but something went wrong. Instead of going straight up it went crazy and turned crosswise into some tree’s. Yellow sparks flew and caught the dried pine needles on fire, the smell of deep pine soon turned to smoke as the whole tree was engulfed into a flame. I stood speechless and scared as the flame slowly moved from one tree to the next claiming its next victim. My little heart was beating faster than a rabbits hop as tears streamed my face.


I ran home, not wanting a single person to find out what had happened. Part of me prayed that the fire would stop and nothing else happen. The rest of the day I stayed hid under covers in my bedroom, not speaking to anyone as they came home. Then the next day came and I found out my prayers were not answered, the fire had spread for acres.


I grew up fast in the next month as the fires spread even further. The destruction in my hometown was unbearable as I watched my mom cry over the local sewing factory being burned to a crisp. Watching everything unfold and knowing it was my fault was almost to much for my little self. Countless times I almost admitted the truth but would back out, not wanting to spend the rest of my life grounded or whatnot. Guilt took its toll though, I was very much punished. I stopped talking to the other little boys in town and stayed to myself. Often helping my father in the afternoons volunteer on buildings that had been destroyed or cleaning up ashes in the yard.


I never told anyone about the fires and often think maybe it was best. When I was sixteen I sat with a preacher and cried when all the horrendous memories of the fire flooded my mind. He never asked what upset me but promised no matter what god would forgive me for whatever it was. That thought alone helped me forgive myself even though to this day I regret playing with that bottle rocket. Regret even more the destruction and disaster it caused