WALL OF FLAME.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18603, 30 January 1926, Page 15

WALL OF FLAME.

BLACKENED COUNTRY.

ASHBURTON GRASS FIRES.

MAN DIES FROM BURNS. The most devastating grass fire for 30 years swept tiirougli the Ashburton County yesterday, leaving a tract of blackened country olevea miles long and in some places five miles broad. It was one of the worst outbreaks that the residents of the Ashburton County can remember. Mr William Page, of Ashburton, a well-known boxing referee, was fighting the flames opposite Mr L. Hanrahan's property, when his clothes caught fire. He rushed to a water-race and rolled in it, but he was severely burned on head and body. He was taken to the Ashburton Hospital, where he died early this morning.

Mr P. T. Hanrahan, of Dromore, also lies in the Ashburton Hospital suffering from burns.

The fire originated in a heap of sawdust at the old sawmill about three miles south of Chertsey yesterday, and, assisted by a strong nor'-west wind, it headed towards tho coast through the Dromore, Pendarves, and Seafield districts, burning pastures, fences, and sheds. Tho extent of tho damage is estimated to run well into live figures

The heap of sawdust caught from the fires of the previous afternoon, smouldered throughout the night, and was fanned into a flame yesterday morning about 10 o'clock, when the wind rose. Headed for the Coast. The fire crossed over the railway line, where a band of men attempted to suppress the flames, but they developed into a strong blaze and headed for the coast nearly twelve miles away. The fire was eventually stopped about a mile from tho beach at 5 p.m.

By the time it had traversed three miles, the flame-face was five miles wide, and the flames left nothing in the way of fences and pastures, but only a blackened countryside for several square miles. Only a few acres-of crops in the vicinity of fences were destroyed, as the fire would not travel through stubble nor wheat which was still standing. An Army of Fire-fighters. Between 300 and 400 men from the surrounding, districts and Ashburton combated the flames at various points and had it not been for their arduous effort, a much greater acreage wouki have been involved. A wage of 2s uu. per hour was offered to volunteers for lire fighting, so strong was the demand. Many of the fighters stated that at times the flames were travelling at the rate of 20 miles an hour. Fanners' Great Losses.

The first farm affected to any great extent was that of J. Cameron, Dromore, who lost all his fences, two stacks of oat sheaves, 750 acres of grass, some sheep, a washhouse, two gvanai'ies, a gig and harness, four bicycles, 200 bushels of oats, four tons of chafi, and a whare.. The flames caught the corner of the verandah of his house, but they wtut extinguished before getting a strong hold. The only insurance on tho outbuildings was £BO. The next places Effected were those of Messrs C. Flynn and L. Hanrahan. On the former holding all the outbuildings, valued at hundreds of pounds, were totally destroyed, together with many acres of grass and fences. At Hanrahan's, the fire reached within a yard of the house, and a bucket brigade concentrated on saving tho stables and sheds, but in spite of their efforts, two tons of chaff in a stable were burnt. At this stage the outbreak had a threemile face, which it later increased to fivp miles. Mr Hanrahan also lost miles of fences and several acres of grass. A paddock of turnips saved the property of Mr R. Gould. Details of Loss. The fire then swept over the following properties doing the damage stated (approximately):— Mr B. Hampton, lost about SO sheep, -60 bags of grass seed, two binders, one grass stripper, several sacks of oats, about 500 acres of grass. Mr J. Doig, several acres of grass. Mr W. Bankin, miles of fences and several acres of grass. Mr J. Halliday, several acres of grass and fences. Mr B. Hampton, sen., grass and plantation. Mr J. Watson, about 150 acres grass and fences. Mr A. P. Bruce, COO acres of grass, eleven miles of fences, 100 sheep badly singed. Mr E. Baylies, 40 chains of fences, ten acres of grass. Messrs Shelly, Bruce, and Bennison, 450 acres of grass. A Clianco v Missed. Between "Selma" and the property of Mr B. Hampton, sen., the fire was confined to the fences on both sides of the road, but owing to the absence of telephones, farmers lower down country coHfld not be made aware of this fact. The fire later spread and developed a' face of about three miles, It eventually ran to a V, and was stamped out on the farms of Messrs H. L. Driscoll J Bruce Scott, and Waller, of Seafield" about a mile from the coast. Fire breaks were run out for miles by tractors and teams at various points over the country, and this greatly minimised the danger. Several fires appeared in different parts of the district last night about nine o'clock, but heavy rain set in at 9.45 p.m., and dispelled' the fear of further outbreaks.

Locomotive Sparks. Farmers were heard commenting strongly upon "the laxity of the Railway Department" in taking precautions against flying sparks from locomotives. Two Pendarves men told a representative of "The Press" that they actually saw the -sparld from the express igniting the grass on two occasions. Eakaia Farmers' Losses. Another destructive grass fire occurred on Mr J. Penny's Northbark property (Bakaia) yesterday. The fire evidently started on the' roadside and travelled rapidly through the paddocks destroying hundreds of acres of grass and miles of fencing. Most of the sheep were driven off, but it is estimated that about 100 perished. A threeroomed.house, owned by Mr W. Holmes was also destroyed. ' A fire started in a' plantation at the top of the village settlement, but was subdued before much damage was done.