SCRUB FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 33, 9 February 1927, Page 3

SCRUB FIRE

FARM HOUSES THREATENED

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening. Post.")

CHRISTCHTJECH, Bth: February.

Hundreds of acres of scrub in the "Waimakariri River bed took fire today, and several houses in thy Harewood district were threatened by the blaze. The fire was started by oae of the residents on. his own, property, but got beyond his control,- and spread rapidly, helped by a strong, north-east-erly wind. Many fences were .burned.

The fire started at about 11 a.m. in the scrub area at the northern end of Harewood road. It swept across coun-, try, doing a considerable amount of damago to hedges, fencing, and hay crops. ' Electric line power poles in Russley road were burned, and one had to be removed. The area covered by the fire was about 100 acres. The homes of five farmers were threatened, but were saved. At" one place the fire skirted along a paddock at the back of the house, and a horse and some pigs in the paddock were rescued just in time. The fire was checked just as it was catching the house. ; About fifty men were engaged in beating the fire, whicli' was got under control in the afternoon. '