BIG SWAMP FIRE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29718, 11 January 1962, Page 10

BIG SWAMP FIRE

Smoke Covers Invercargill (N.Z. Press Association) INVERCARGILL, Jan. 10 Smoke from a fire in peat swamps in Awarua Bay. nine miles south-east of Invercargill. shrouded th* city this afternoon. Unless the wind today changes overnight farms in the area could be In danger, one resident said tonight. The Invercargill Fire Brigade had not officially been notified of the fire, but it would attend if called, an officer said tonight. He said the brigade had attended at least two firm in the area each summer since he came to Invercargill in 1942. The fire, to the north-east of the Awarua Bay holiday settlement, ha* been burning since Sunday night. The land is owned by th* Crown. One resident said that the fire was burning for “mile* and miles" along the bay. The land around the bay area is mainly peat swamp with scattered manuka scrub. There are few farm* in the area.

Th* smoke was first noticed over Invercargill early this afternoon. Later th* sky was completely hidden as the smoke gathered over the city, but by early evening it had disappeared with a slight change in the wind.