Prior to 1900, a typical forest fire would burn with no one to fight it. The fire would eventually burn itself out, or Mother Nature would step in and douse it with rain. For Honey Lake Valley residents the biggest annoyance was smoke. The Lassen Advocate of September 14, 1899 reported of such fires:

“The atmosphere has been surcharged with smoke the past week, and a fire on the western side of Diamond Mountain range and another in the thick timberland near Eagle Lake are principally responsible for this condition.”

Tim