Severe fire risk in Canterbury

Press, 3 February 1987, Page 3

Severe fire risk in Canterbury

By MARGARET BAKER Canterbury forests are sweltering under the worst fire-risk levels since the drought four years ago.

Many have been closed to the public and contractors, and some forest gangs are working with fire engines close at hand.

Balmoral forest recorded a fire-risk level of 89 yesterday afternoon, well above the usual extreme level of 39.

The acting officer in charge of the forest, Mr Dennis Powell, said the readings took into account the temperature, humidity, rain and wind direction and speed.

He said the forest was closed at 9 a.m., the fifth closing in two weeks, and staff had spent the day fire training. Four fire engines had been stationed at the forest.

“People can still camp and picnic but we are not allowing any fires or barbecues — it is just too dangerous,” said Mr Powell. “It is the worst we

have had since the drought three or four years ago.” On Sunday, campers and Forest Service rangers worked frantically to put out a fire started by hot coals from a barbecue at a camping ground near the forest. Aided by a nor’wester it burnt an area about 100 m by 30m in 10 minutes.

The Fire Service attended two calls to private plantations in North Canterbury yesterday. One, at Burnt Hill, required 15 engines and 50 soldiers to put out the flames. A spokeswoman at the Weather Office said rain was not expected until Thursday, but the southwest change was more likely to arrive on Friday. “It won’t bring much rain to help the fire risk, and I doubt that it will do much at all to alleviate it,” the spokeswoman said.

Rainfall figures for January showed 20mm of rain, compared with the January average of

51mm. The last rainfall was 15.6 mm, recorded at Christchurch Airport on January 24. The spokeswoman said these figures did not hold for the forest areas, which had been significantly drier.

The Ashley forest has also recorded extreme fire-risk levels, and the forest is closed to the public until further notice. Staff and loggers are still working in the mornings, but leave the forest about 1 p.m. Only 7.5 mm of rain was recorded in Ashley for January, compared with the average of 70mm.

Contractors have been withdrawn from Eyrewell forest, and all staff are on standby. Eyrewell has three fire engines on hand, and the forest has been closed to the public. In the Hanmer forest fire levels are extreme but the public are still allowed on the forest walks. In Geraldine forest the fire risk is high, but the staff are still working.