TREES BURNT

Evening Post, Issue 29, 4 February 1935, Page 8

TREES BURNT

ON WIRELESS KILL

BEAUTIFUL WALK SPOILT

One of the most enjoyable walks round- Wellington is that along the i Wireless Hill above the Town' Belt, but the beauty of this walk has been 'spoilt by a fire that yesterday de- | stroyed ten acres of trees. Six years ago the Town Belt in this portion of ! the hill was planted with pine trees, and their green freshness was a'source |of pleasure to many. In time they , would have greatly improved the city's skyline, but in their place there is now only blackened hillside, and' but for | the good work of firemen, a party of Reserves Department men under the Director of -Parks and Reserves (Mr. ,J. G. MacKenzie), and volunteers, the : whole of the hill (about 120 acres in extent) would probably have been swept. i The fire started in the subdivisional land on the northern part of the "hill between 10 and 11 o'clock yesterday morning, and, fanned by the northerly wind, swept up the hill. The fire crossed the road line at the top of the hill into .the belt. The dry grass was rapidly consumed by the flames, and soon the branches of the pines ,were on fire. , Dense clouds of smoke from the fire swept over the city. The fire would be checked in one part and then it would break through in another. At length the good work of the fire-fighters prevailed, and soon after 2 p.m. the fire was checked, although watchers were left in the vicinity all the afternoon. Pines never recover from the effects of fire, so all the planting in the area that has been swept by fire has gone for nothing. The Director of Parks and Reserves had no sooner returned home when the alarm, was given of another fire on the Town Belt, this time on Mount Victoria above Majoribanks Street. Fortunately little damage was done, less than half an acre being burnt. A Reserves Department employee in this vicinity is of the opinion that the fire was started by three boys who were ordered- away from the children's play area for misbehaviour. The fire was started as they crossed the hill. As most of the trees in the burnt area were pbhutukawas it is likely, that they will come away, again.

On Saturday afternoon a fire was started in the land-adjoining the Otari Open-air Plant Museum. 'As the fire threatened the museum a gang of Reserves Department men under Mr. MacKenzie fought the flames until 10.15 p.m., when it was subdued. Men were left on duty in the vicinity all night. The' fire, which consumed gorse, broom, and native bush, did not reach the reserve.

The .value of fire breaks in these fires has been demonstrated, but more care is needed in the clearing of land adjacent to reserves, as once a fire is in full sway before it reaches a reserve it is almost impossible to check it without damage being done. -

Calls to other grass or gorse fires were received yesterday to Crawford Road and Lerwick Terrace, but in those fires no serious damage was done.