Carmen Ewan points to a section of Jacks Hill where trees were destroyed by fire Thursday night. - Norman Grindley /Chief Photographer

With high flames and thick black smoke which created soot into houses, residents of Jacks Hill in Upper St Andrew are describing a fire that burned all day Thursday into yesterday morning as one of the worst of its kind in nearly 40 years.

The fire consumed an estimated five acres of land.

One resident, Hellen Aitkin, said that she had not seen a fire with such a fierce appetite since 1970. "It came roaring up! I have been living here since 1969 and this was one of the bad ones," Aitkin told The Gleaner when a team visited the area.

"The flames were almost as high as that tree!" she exclaimed, pointing to a tree more than 15 feet tall.

"This one is the worst one!" said Sherene Jones. "The fire was huge! Humongous! Big!"

Many Jacks Hill residents have a distinct and creative way of protecting themselves from the scourging flames each year.

Hellen Aitkin said that ever since the terrible fire of 1970, her family installed a system holding 25,000 gallons of water. The property was then outfitted with fire hoses, smaller but comparable to what firefighters use.

Fire defence

Fay Day, who has lived in Jacks Hill for over 30 years, said that when she sees the fire coming close to her house, she lights a fire! The fire that she lights then spreads up and away from her home and into the main fire. By doing that, she prevents the fire from closing in on her, she explained.

Keith Bailey said that if it wasn't for a herd of goats that he kept to eat the dry grass, the fire would surely have closed in on his house.

The community of Jacks Hill is annually plagued by bush fires. It is not known how Thursday's fire started. It is expected, though, that there will be more fires before the 'fire season' is out.

andrew.wildes@gleanerjm.com