THE BUSH FIRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 6

THE BUSH FIRES.

SAVING A SAWMILL. FICHT WITH THE FLAMES. ANXIOUS TIME IN THE NAINAI VALLEY. While reports havo been coming to hand of devastation and suffering from bu3h fires abroad; near at home men have'been'engaged in a desperate struggle, to avert disaster. Messrs; Strand Bros.' sawmill stands.at the head of . tho picturesque Nainai Valley, four •or five miles beyond-Lower Hutt,'and tho hills on threo sides rise precipitously. Tho ridges, which until this week have, been covered- in thick greon manuka bcrub, out of which roso solitary half-burnt trees, extend away irregularly, north and south.- Nearly threo weeks ago a firo appeared away in tho north, coming ; apparontly from Stake's Valloy, and another in tho south, come distance at tho,back.of Mr. J. Duthie's property. Tho two fires gradually ata their way towards ono another through tho dry. scrub, but little attention was paid to '• their patient ,-progress. CRAVE DANGER. •Halfway through last ■ week; howover,. a high wind gave a different aspect to affairs;; the fires came rapidly-.down-tho. slopes,'and on Sunday Messrs. Strand' Bros, could sec that their, mill , and tram-line, were in grave danger. The tram-lino- ascends directly up tho- steep hill at the rear of tho mill, and is manipulated by- a - steam winch, .tho powerhouse .standing at tho top of tho. ridge. It is by. : this tram-Tine.;that the sawmillers bring logs to thoir mill from the!, valleys and flats over the ridge. Its destruction would, mean a. serious financial loss, and a more serious delay, and on Sunday, when .tho fires had met around it, the outlook seemed hopeless. "Sunday," said Mr. Strand, to a Dominion representative, "was the climax of tho fire. Fifteen or twenty men -working relays fought in tho - blinding smoke : and parching heat with the j>ersistont flamcs/! beating out here and throwing water, there..; .Fortunately a stream was- handy. For a long timo tho fight was waged ovgr a large area;; tho men could not work more than three hours at a stretch on account; of. the smoko, and had to bo rsplaced, hilt finally 'tho fire was beaten, and ' the - tram-line saved. ' A .few sleepers hero and there were destroyed, and ono rough bridgo required to bo replaced, but this was practically- all. the damage. SAVING THE MILL. . .To save the sawmill in tho valley, tho scrub was sot on.firo in oils or two places and kept under' control. , But sinco Sunday a constant watch had to ';bo kept. Every precaution hail to bo taken', to. keep the firo from- a sawdust' heap ;: which would quickly havo communicated, it to ( the mill. On Thursday, when tho danger seemed over', tho flames; which had'been working steadily down a small; low spur which ..terminates ; a few yards from tho sawdust; suddenly blazed up, and,- fanned by a ' varying .wind, were sooir crackling down the slo'po. An anxious time was 'spent, but late in the; night tho fire died out, and the danger was. over. It was not, however, till early'yesterday morning that'tho proprietors y.:ere able, to relinquish their vigil. ''Yesterday, fortunately, there sccinod little need for further anxiety, and Messrs.', Strand : Bros.><• consider - them-selves.-woll.. out ■of a nasty corner. Their ivholo damage, they estimate,' will not- amount to many pounds, whilo the' .fire ft as not entered their timber bush to any .extent. A log-hauler, away.'ln; tho depths of tho bush, worth £375, also escaped; .i 'A 1 quantity of firewood, which had'been cut-,for a Wellington syndicate, became prematurely ashes where 1 it lay on tho outward slope of one of tho-hills:' But this'-clid not belong to the firm. Operations at the mill will-bo recommenced to-day. AFTER THE FIRE. , Tho whole face of tho hills for. two or three miles northward from' Mr. iDuthio's picturesque property is badly scorched and:.blackened. "It .was a grand .sight on Sunday night,said a member of - tho. sawmilling. firm. Tho firo was all around, blazing away at top, and roaring likq. a-furnace." Whilo 'tho reporter remained at; the mill tho firo .was' burning, in various places, and no wand thbii a solitary tree, gnawed by the flames'of the scrub, would fall a victim, and come crashing' loudly 'dotbi' ,tho steea slopoj sending up clouds of smoke and dust. At night a showor of sparks would bo seen. The residents of tho Hutt havo been having a full display'of. such .fireworks lately. Last evening from, tho Hutt.scratches of vermilion could., bo' s'eqn . through." tho-;snioko enveloping tho lulls.Smoke was all round tho town, curling up from tho hills on-the eastern side and 'reddening tho. round setting sun iii the west. Though the firo is rampant in portions-of tho'district,, it is. comforting to have it on tho authority of Mr. Strand that the Wainui catchment area -had not yet' been entered, and that danger is not imminent, as an expanse of open country intervened.' The Wainui swamp valley, however, was ablazo last evening. ' .. IN THE WAIMARING. : WIDESPREAD DEVASTATION. MANY FURTHER LOSSES REPORTED. (by TELEGRAPH—SrECIAL CORRESPONDENT.! Taihape, February 14. Reports from-Raetihi state that the town is surrounded by fires, which are occasioning great alarm, as in ■ a case of. a galo from the south the .place would '.tare ill' on account of the bojt or Government reserve, which con-', tains many .dead trees. Settlers have lost heavily in stock, grass, and fencing. One settler had his cattle burnt in tho- .yard. .- \ Tho Ohura Valley settlers had a big fight, the-firo bursting upon them through greon macroc&rpa. .Ono house- wa^;saved, ivitn extreme difficulty. Then the fire ran through three properties'; devastating all. Mr Dickson lost 400 sheep, and all his grass.Waipuna is in a critical position. Mr S. Gould's house has been .burnt with tho men's whares)- and Messrs'.. Meek and-M'Combio's wool-sheds also went, the' lattor losing wool as well. It is reported that not an acre-of grass is left in the Waipuna district. The settlors consider that small fires in January saved Waipuna, from' total destruction. ■ On tho'Pipiriki road the situation is grave. The fire burst through tho-green bush and swamped four holdings, tho residents having to/flco. The sheep losses here are very heavy; There are big fires on the Hukaroa. Road, but no damage is reported yet. Manganuioteo settlers lose heavily, especially with regard to stock. Some houses also went-.

Horopito is surrounded by flames, but no further loss is yet reported; • .The road is al.most impassable owing to the smoke and heat. .

Raetihi townspeople are digging 'holes : in which to bury their effects in case the worst' ensues. -' ■ ,-

FAIJM SWEPT BY GRASS FIRE.

(DT CORRESPONDENT.) . ... . Carterton, February 14. . A . grass , fire at Jackvalo- yestorday swept Mr, Hajnor's farm from end to end.

.Latest reports from Mataroa, on-the Main Trunk line, .state that Mr. J. Oliver's house is gono. - A newly-erected bridgo for Messrs. Smith'and Donald's mill has gone. Tho mill is closed down in order to repair the damages to tho .tramway's. ■ . . .

Reports just in from Mansanuioteao tell of largo losses of stock. • \

Messrs. Todd Bros, lost, thoir house after twelvo, .fighting, and lost a largo quantity of timber which was on the ground' for a now house. ' Almost all Mr. Todd's sheep woro burnt.

Tho ■ other settlors 'managed, to save tho homes, but all lost heavily in stock. At Motoihi tho sottlors woro, burnt out, losing all their grass, fencing, and stock. Tho firo.camo through tho green bush, and the sottlors barely jrot away with their lives. Tho Raetihi telegrams woro brought down by train this evening, as communication by wiro was suspended. ;So far as is known thirteen homos liavo gono. . Settler?.-aro anxiously watching-tho progress of tho adjacent fires. The loss of grass is enormous. Even around Taihapo tho fires liavo swept away all tho grass. Fodder is scarce, , and thcro is 110 water.

Reports from Ohakune state that tho fires are burning at and the

is still critical. Last night the fire camo to within 200 yards of Ohakuno, and' threatened. Messrs. Crowther and M'Cauley's new'stables and otlier buildings,. Everybody was beating out the flames when the wind dropped. Tho grass ajong the river near' Taihapo caught- fire this afternoon, and -threatened Captain Batt's dwelling, but after a hard struggle tho, flames were subdued. The incident has caused considerable anxiety. ■ The fire has such a firm hold on : the district that nothing but several days' heavy rain could effectively cope with it. A brisk wind has been • blowing all 'day, but lulled towards evenfall. Hope is expressed .that the Government will come to ' the relief of ' th'o distressed' settlers in the way of providing' l grass seed. 1 AROUND APITI. . MORE HOMESTEADS DESTROYED. '..(BY TELEGItAPII—SPECIAL! CORRESrONDENT.I ' Feilding, February. 14. - The bush fires are still raging in all parts' of;, the Apiti district, the township- being; practically surrounded by fire. . Mr. G. Rankin;of Table Flat, has had his. residence burned down. Mr. Gould lias lost. 400 sheep. Mr. A. Lawson and Mr. J. Dayby: have lost several outbuildings. At TJmutni, the residence •of Messrs.- W. Wilkin,. W. Boddy, and.Mark:Haynes are still in danger. The scarcity, of. grass is causing widespread alarm, and several farmers will have to sell their stock. "' UM3ASINESS IN THE MANAW^TU.' (HI L TEI.ECKAPII—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Palmerston North, February 14. Tho fires at. Raumai have freshened !up, hut' so far no serious damage is reported. The position is causing considerable, alarm. Further up in the back country the fires still continue to rape, and losses of sheep are frequently reported. A settlor from Apiti informed mo at Feilding to-day that the absence of rain must, sooner or later, cause disaster as it is plainly evident that owine to the dry weather'there will bo no controlling tho fires. . . WAIRARAPA OUTBREAKS. (BY TELEGRArE—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Masterton,. February 14. A tremendous bush and grass fire is raging to-day at Hikorangi on Mr McGregor's property. Botween Te Wharau and Brancepeth, gangs of men from both stations, numbering forty, are fighting the flames which have already covered a thousand, acres of land. The firo fighters have prevented the conflagration from spreading westward' to Maungafoki. Tho extent of further damaige depends upon the forco of tho wind, as up to within two days ago tho fire had boon burning quietly for two weeks. V . OTAKI OUTBREAKS. (FROM OUR SPECIAL . CORRESPONDENT.) k Otaki, February' 4. Fires are burning in many .places, and acres upon acros of ; grass have been-demolished. .On Wednesday night a grass fire started at Te Horo, and before yesterday morning had destroyed nearly 100 acres belonging to Mr. Tolhursf. :In this instance the homestead and buildings narrowly Escaped dostruction. At Manakau a passing engine set alight to property near Mr. Johnston's, arid .it was only,.after a hard fight that the flames were subdued and valuable property saved.'