THE STATE FORESTS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 95, 17 January 1924, Page 6

THE STATE FORESTS

WHOLLY ESCAPE FIRE DAMAGE It is to the credit of the State Forest Service that not a single fire has taken place in any of their plantations during the long spell of exceptionally dry weather which has been experienced throughout the whole of the Dominion. Travellers in both islands have reported that the country has been as dry as tinder, and that only a spark was required to cause a serious conflagration. While several private plantations were destroyed by fire in the Ashburton district, and many serious grass fires occurred in other parts, the State forests have all come off scathless. This fine result is attributed to the system of fire look-out stations which were established a couple of rears ago in all the State plantations. By this means all outbreaks of fire are immediately detected and suppressed in their incipient stages. Serious damage was recently _ done to a scenic reserve at Wairakei, but this was not a State plantation. It is considered that the recent generous rain's have removed all danger of further grass or bush fires, as the good soaking the country has received lias' reduced the highly inflammable nature of the countryside in both islands.