SCRUB FIRE ON HILLS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30270, 24 October 1963, Page 17

SCRUB FIRE ON HILLS

Burning-off Spreads

Burning-off in the 60 acres surrounding the Mount St. Mary's Rest Home for Calvary Nuns on Marleys Hill, west of the Sign of the Kiwi, got out of control yesterday afternoon: The fire was fought by firemen, Heathcote County Council staff, and a farmer, from 4 p.m. to after 9 p.m. The blaze had then burned through gorse and broom to a green patch and was thought to be moderately safe. However, firemen and council staff were again called out after 11 p.m. The fire had burned tack up the valley to behind the rest home, and was a possible danger to trees surrounding the property Firemen and council staff were still on the scene at 1 a.m.

The burning-off operations were begun bv a gardener at the home. The fire spread in the gorse and broom and two engines from the Sydenham Fire Station answered the alarm at 3.59 p.m.

No water was available at the scene of the fire. A water tanker. of the Heathcote County Council was called, and firemen and council employees fought the fire with beaters.

A strong southerly carried the fire away from the rest home into land farmed by Mr A. F. Scott. Mr Scott went to the scene last evening and considered the fire to be moderately safe, unless the wind changed.

About 10 acres of land in all were burned over, the fire spreading down the valley below the rest home property. The blaze could be seen from Islington. Clouds of smoke during the afternoon made the fire look bigger than it actually was. A Heathcote County Council foreman, Mr C. L. Sole, said that the fire burnt fiercely at its height. He and about 12 council employees were fighting the fire for about four hours. “It could possibly have got into some trees on Marleys Hill, but otherwise there was no real danger to property.”