It took most of the morning to finish clearing the town. The Master of the Flame had the duty to ensure every citizen was safely out of the way and anything that was to be taken to their new homes was packed into carts which were gathered at the far end of the game field. At last Verindu declared that the Burning could begin. Now the Riders moved in with every form of flammable and explosive substance that had been readied for the occasion. They spread this around the town, finding the weakest spots where wood supported stone and packing it with dry tinder and kindling. This preparatory stage took another two hours and so it was early afternoon before torches were finally set to the buildings in a score of places all at once. It was a dry day and perfect for a Great Burning. Ironhope went up in a fierce conflagration that would leave little behind, punctuated by the occasional explosion of flame and sparks when the more combustible material caught light.