£500 BILL FOR PERSON WHO STARTED BUSH FIRE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29108, 21 January 1960, Page 12

£500 BILL FOR PERSON WHO STARTED BUSH FIRE

(New Zeaiana Press Association)

BLENHEIM, January 20.

The fire which threatened the Ngaruru scenic reserve in Tory Channel is out and the man who caused it is likely to be presented with a bill for more than £5OO. This estimate of the cost of getting the fire under control was made tonight after fire-fight-ers returned from a two-day battle which finally saved one of the finest remaining stands of native forest in the Sounds. About onequarter of the 400-acre reserve was burnt.

A Press Association message from Nelson said the police had located the man who caused the fire.

A careful check was kept on the costs which included the transport of a bulldozer to the reserve by boat. The fire was finally quelled late this afternoon when water was pumped at high pressure through leads from a near-by stream. The pump which won the day was brought 80 miles from Nelson to Picton by the chief fire protection officer of the Forest Service (Mr A. Pasting) and then taken by launch to the reserve on Arapawa island. Powerful jets from the pump made all the difference to a team

of 15 men who had been doing their best with knapsack sprays and beaters.

Late this evening the firefighting gang, which rejoined the battle early this morning after being brought in last night because of the rugged nature of the country, returned by launch to Picton.

A “mopping-up” expedition will be made to the reserve tomorrow.

The situation in the conservancy is that a general alarm has been declared by the Forest Service. Under this there is a blanket prohibition on the lighting of fires outdoors. Today the weather in Marlborough has been fine and warm but with little wind and the fire risk throughout the province' remains acute.

Another series of fires in the Mangarakau area, adjacent to Westhaven Inlet, are still burning. There are up to a dozen pockets of fire in the locality, three ringing Lake Otuhie and another close to the Benara Timber Company’s mill. Some private stands of timber have been destroyed, but the extent of the damage is not known. A Forest Service gang Is continuing to battle an outbreak in the scenic reserve between the inlet and the coast.

Today a relief team, including three technical trainees from the school at Reefton, was sent into the area. This is the only outbreak concerning the Forest Service, as it has not been called upon to assist private millers.