Lightning causes three fires near forest

Press, 13 March 1982, Page 2

Lightning causes three fires near forest

Lightning caused three simultaneous fires to break out on a property on Thongcaster Road, adjacent to the Eyrewell forest, on Thursday evening and caused a . desperate Bkm rush to a telephone to raise the alarm. One fire was within a chain of two hay ' barns, a shed, and the home of Mr Stuan and Mrs , Nancy Ley, who share-farm the property with Mr Harley Jenkins., However, all were saved. Mrs Ley had to make a desperate drive to the nearest telephone on a neighbouring property when it was discovered the Leys’ telephone was out of order. She had to pass several pockets of flames along the track on her way. The Oxford and Cust volunteer fire brigades were quickly on the scene, but about 24.28 ha of gorse and grass was burnt. Breaks of trees only six years old were also destroyed, with fences and posts. The Forest Service also attended the fire and worked throughout the night and yesterday dampening down’ hot spots. Mr F. Neither, of Eyrewell forest, said that there had been a north-west wind blowing at the time, but the forest was never in danger as the fire was burning parallel to it. Fighting, the fire had been awkward, he said, as there were three fires burning at once " over about 3km along a terrace.

Fire . appliances from Oxford and Cust attended the

■blaze, while the Rangiora Fire Brigade stood by at Cust in case of further emergencies. Mr Neither said there were plenty of local, farmers, volunteer brigade members, and forestry staff to keep the fire under control. Mr Jenkins, whose son was found safe and well after he became lost on the Heaphy Track last week, said he had been lucky again. He was grateful to the many people who had turned out to help fight the fire into the small hours of yesterday morning. • Fire also broke out about 11.40 p.m. on Thursday near the Amberley Lime Works at the Waipara River gorge. About 12 hectares of farm land were burnt when lightning started several pockets of fire on very difficult country. :7..\ The terrain made fighting the fire difficult for the Amberley and Waipara volunteer fire brigades which 1 had to carry water to the fire in a tanker. It took until 2.30 a.m. to bring the pockets of fire under control. At one stage a hay barn was threatened when the fire spread into a shelter belt of trees, but this was saved. Two appliances from Amberley and twofrom Waipara, plus ! the Hurunui County Council, tender, attended the fire. ’ ” The Waikari \ volunteer brigade stood by at Arriberley in case of any other emergencies.