GRASS FIRES ON PORT HILLS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 8

GRASS FIRES ON PORT HILLS

Homes AmLSchool In Danger LONG FIGHT BY BRIGADE Two grass and scrub fires that burnt more than 100 acres on Glenelg spur and St. Andrews Hill yesterday were fought by the greatest number of firemen and volunteers seen in Christchurch tor some years. Late last night there was little danger of further outbreaks, but two Heathcote County Council employees stood by on the upper slopes above Glenelg in case the county’s plantation there was threatened.

Th? fire on St. Andrews Hill began about 2.15 a.m., and that on Glenelg spur about 1 p.m., and the St. Andrews Hill fire flared up again about 6.30 p.m. Army trainees, county council workmen. and firemen from most of the Christchurch fire brigades were on duty all day as flames roared through tussock and broom on both sides of the Heathcote valley. Sirens and the smell of smoke rolling up the hillside awoke many residents along Major Hornbrook road soon after 2.15 a.m. Men, some of whom had had only a few hours’ sleep, joined the firemen with shovels and wet sacks to beat out the flames.

Carried by the north-west wind the fire swept up towards the Mount Pleasant School, skirted the boundary fence, and roared on towards a group of houses near the top of Major Hornbrook road. A change of ,wind drove the fire back, and firemen and volunteers took a brief rest when 100 18-year-old military trainees of 9 Company arrived from. Burnham Military Camp under the command of Captain C. Meiklejohn. A lead of hose run out from the last fire plug on Major Honrbrook road was used to prevent the fire reaching the school and houses, but a hut further down the hillside was burnt. The Sumner Volunteer Fire Brigade which was called at 3.50 a.m.. pulled out before breakfast, so that the men could go to work. The New Brighton brigade also withdrew about the same time. Glenelg Outbreak When the Mount Pleasant fire was well under control and the units from the Sydenham. Woolston. and Central fire stations were preparing to return to the city about 1 p.m., an outbreak v/as reported on the slopes of Glenelg, above the Glenmore brick and tile works. Three machines then crossed the valley and worked from the Port Hills road. The Army moved the trainees around the foot of .the hills and followed Dyers Pass road to the Summit road. By this time the fire had a good holo,, and was spreading on a wide front, but a shower of rain dampened the grass sufficiently to -check the flames. The Sumner brigade had been called out after the Glenelg outbreak, and its machine followed the Mount Pleasant road to the Summit road, and came down the Rapaki track to hold the fire on the eastern slopes. The Army trucks, however, could not follow, because a Heathcote County Council water truck blocked the track when its right rear wheel fell into a culvert on the side of the road. The Army trucks were left on the Summit road, and the trainees came down the ridge on foot. About 4 p.m. the fire roared info life again, and a change of wind drove it round a line of trees overlooking Avoca valley. But this outbreak burnt itself out before a group of houses on the Avota Valley road, and the trees behind them, were threatened. Fire Breaks out Again Early last evening, after the trainees had withdrawn, a' further alarm brought two machines back to St. Andrew's Hill, where the early fire had broken out again just above the Bridle Path road. A lead of hose was again run down from Major Hornbrook road, and Sumner firemen were joined by many of the men who had turned out in the early hours to fight the first outbreak. “I had two hours’ sleep last night.” said one smoke-grimed resident last evening. “This is quite enough firefighting for one day.” Mr J. C. Montgomery, who has the grazing rights over part of Glenelg spur, moved about 20 or 30 cattle and 300 sheep out of the way of the fire, and no stock losses were suffered. It is no| known how the fires started. Mr H. C. Robertson, deputy-chief officer of the Christchurch Fire Brigade, last evening expressed the thanks of the brigade to all volunteers, the Army, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, police, and traffic department officers who. had assisted.