Log for the fire rekindles thoughts of a true tree hero

I PUT a fresh log on the fire.

It burnt with a beautiful, clear flame and filled the room with a faint smell of resin. The timber was a present from a neighbour and it was well-seasoned Douglas fir.

This is one of the best softwood timbers to burn on an open fire and if it’s seasoned it doesn’t spark, unlike most softwoods. It also comes from a magnificent species of tree.