ANOTHER GRASS FIRE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21377, 21 January 1935, Page 7

ANOTHER GRASS FIRE

OUTBREAK IN WAIPARA THREE STACKS DESTROYED Another destructive grass fire broke out yesterday afternoon on the property of Mr A. S. George, a Waipara farmer. It destroyed more than 50 aces of pasture, three large stacks of oats, a decorative plantation, several fences, and a pig-sty,- and it came within 20 yards of destroying Mr George's fine homestead and a large woolshed. ... I Mr George and his family were sit-1 ting on their verandah in the early afternoon when their attention was drawn to clouds of smoke in the directioi. of the Waipara river. The strong north-west wind swept the fire rapidly towards- the house, and the plantations round the buildings were threatened by a steadily advancing line of flame. Mr George communicated with neighbours and with friends in Waipara, and a small army of beaters began an. arduous afternoon's work. They managed to save the plantations near the house, the house itself, and most of the farm buildings, but they had no chance of saving the stacks and the grass paddocks to the south of the farmyard. The fire approached the house so closely, however, that Mr George seriously considered removing the furniture. It swept past distance of not more than 20 yards and moved towards the neighbouring paddocks. Three pigs were burned in their sty, and a young plantation of native trees was completely, destroyed. The cause of the fire is' unknown, but it is considered possible that picnickers near the river were responsible. : ■ _____ .*••■■ GEASsIfIRE > T BUKNHAM

ESTIMATED LOSS OP 1800 ACRES SMALL AREA OF PLANTATION . BURNT It is estimated that 1800 acres of grass- land and plantation was burnt by a fire which started yesterday afternoon halfway .between Rolleston and Burnham, 16 miles south of Christchurch. Most of the land affected was pasture, the fire going about 100 yards

deep along a plantation of fir trees for a mile arid a half. For three hours , several hundred beaters fought the flames, and by 7-o'clock last night had the fire under «ontroL No stock was lost, but a motor-car left unattended was destroyed. ',,■'.-■> , * .-■'•-, It is stated, that the outbreak began from a fire that v was.lighted bya party of shooters to boil a billy. , Axteij.they had left the fire it spread slowly, ana when they came back to the man was-fighting it He asked, forasssitance,' but the men, - it is said, got into a motorcar' and said they would bring help. Nothing more was seen of them. It is thought that had they given help then the' fire would .have been extinguished without much difAcuity Before it attacked farmlands --the fire was fanned by a north-easterly breeze Khich took the flames along the plantation. In their, path was the home of Mr J. B. Deed. A was made round as the flames approached the breaK tne wmd^hangl P to the carried them away. farm of Mr: p. Cree tfae.toe. went- down to the plantationJJ*Mh \ runs along the main south railway Ime! mft was checked here and did no damage to the trees. , . , _•■ BMKS 3S^€ss§ j fee fire from entering the plantation at ß ftw2Ho<> and 300 beaters were out staking the flam**, but their i efforts were not tfclock. Even hours were several smallrjoutbreaks, dui they no anxiety.