Third Kairaki Beach Fire In Three Days

Press, Volume C, Issue 29671, 15 November 1961, Page 17

Third Kairaki Beach Fire In Three Days

Fire broke sat la sereb at KairaU Beach yßw day for the third ttoe fa three days. It started at 1« by I pxe. was anger control. although am ill areas were stffl burning, aad being patrolled, last aveatng. It was thought the fire started from orwuldering marram grass, said the Chief Fire Officer of the Kaiapoi Volunteer Fire Brigade (Mr H. G. McAllister) yesterday afternoon. The roots of this grass, he said, could smoulder underground, but could be fanned into burning again with a strong wind, such as blew yesterday. An area of three to four acres, containing about XN newly-planted pine trees, was bunt. Tbs fire-fighters just managed to stop the fire from spreading into a nearby pine plantation. Fire-fighters came from all parts of the surrounding area. There were six men and one unit from the Kaiapoi brigade, one tender from the Rangiora County Council, a tender from the Woodend

Volunteer Fire Brigade, a tender from the Ashley State Forest, while the Eyr- County Council sent its bulldozer to cut firebreaks. The fire gained a hold when the firemen were fighting the first small outbreak, said Mr McAllister. Suddenly, the fire restarted more than 200 yards away on a hill The pump operator on the Kaiapoi tender, Mr T. L. Williams, showed presence of mind by laying 270 ft of born to the new outbreak, and then returning to his position by the pump. The men fighting the other fire then saw what had happened and were able, with little delay, to fight the new outbreak. At one stage, the firefighters ran out of hose and Traffic Officer J. Clarke, of the Transport Department, returned to Kaiapoi to get more. Altogether 3000 ft of boee was used. Mr McAllister was full of praise tor all who helped fight the fire. "They all did a very good job,** he said.