BIG GORSE FIRE

WAINUI HILL ABLAZE

HOUSES THREATENED

Many hundreds of acres are blackened on the hillside above Gracefield Road, Lower Hutt, as - the result of a gorse fire which broke out yesterday, burnt all night, and became most dangerous this morning, when some houses were threatened.

The side of the hill was covered wtih heavy gorse, and the flames spread rapidly. By this morning the fire had burned down to the lower levels, and at 7:40 a.m. the Lower Hutt Fire Brigade was summoned to divert the flames from two houses near the road and some sheds higher up near the mouth of the uncompleted Wainui tunnel. Water is laid on. at Gracefield Road, and this was of service to the brigade. The fire was extinguished at the danger points, and only a small section of the hillside above the tunnel, where no damage could be done, was still alight when the brigade left after two hours' work.

This is the second call that the Lower Hutt Fire Brigade has received to this vicinity recently, and as the hillsides above the sast harbour bays are very dry precautions , are necessary to prevent fires. In the past many fires have occurred through cigarettes or matches being thrown in the scrub, or through children playing with inflammable material. Last year hundreds of. acres were burnt about Mahina, York, and Lowry Bays, and some valuable bush destroyed. The residents in these bays have formed squads for fire-fighting purposes, and have done much to protect their property, but as much of the area is outside the Eastbourne and the Lower Hutt fire brigade districts and is becoming more closely settled, it is suggested that some arrangement should be' made to combat the fire 'danger, which is accentuated by the absence of a water supply. ' The Petone Fire Brigade was called last evening to a gorse fire at the corner of Nelson and Udy Streets, but no damage was done to property.