Extremely high risk of fire

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32474, 8 December 1970, Page 1

Extremely high risk of fire

An extremely high fire risk existed in the Omihi, Balmoral and Eyrewell forests, and if the hot, dry weather continued, the situation would worsen, the principal ranger of the Forest Service (Mr T. E. C. Bridge) said yesterday.

“We are at the mercy of the public on this,” he said. “Most fires are caused by carelessness, and we depend on people to use common sense. No fires should be lit in the open while this situation exists.”

Stand-by fire crews would be posted at week-ends and the situation would be watched very closely, he said.

The Deputy Fire Control Officer of the Forest Service (Mr T. Moir) said yesterday that the fire risk was “tending towards high” in most parts of New Zealand, while the situation was “critical” in Hawke’s Bay, North Canterbury and Wairarapa. Conditions were also particularly dry in the Rae Valley and the Golden Downs forest in Nelson. Fire threatened a dense forest on the Spooner Range, near Nelson, yesterday after-

noon, but it was checked by about 60 Golden Downs forestry workers before it had spread far, according to the Press Association. About two acres of forest floor were damaged, but it was expected that the trees would still be shipped to Japan in chip form as planned, the senior forest ranger at Golden Downs (Mr J. R. Croawell) said. Sparks from a power saw are thought to have started the fire. The area is within the Golden Downs forest which covers 70,000 acres and is the second largest exotic forest in New Zealand. Five fires broke out in Marlborough over the weekend. Two outbreaks in Picton were considered the worst the town had experienced. One at Pelorus Bridge threatened the reserve, and one in the Pelorus Sound is still burning. Scores of acres of gorse and scrub and some native bush was burnt in bush fires at Picton.

Dairy production is likely to fall rapidly in most parts of New Zealand unless rain falls in the next two weeks, according to a report issued by the Department of Agriculture.

The most critical areas are the Bay of Plenty, parts of Wairarapa, Wellington and North Otago, the report says. In the Levin area the potato crop is suffering and town milk suppliers are considering feeding meal or hay in the next week or so because of the drop in grass growth.