DESTRUCTIVE GRASS-FIRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1939, Page 2

DESTRUCTIVE GRASS-FIRE

LANSDOWNE VALLEY DAMAGE. [l’Elt I’UESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, April 17. Widespread damage- was caused by a grass lire which started about noon on Saturday, in the Lansdowne Valley. at Otahuna, the property of Sir R. Heaton Rhodes. Il is believed that the outbreak was originally caused by some person burning rubbish on the property. The grass was extremely dry and the fire spread rapidly, and continued until early yesterday morning.

About 2(100 acres of valuable Winter feed was destroyed by the fire, Sir Heaton Rhodes stilted. This, he said, would represent feed for about 2,000 sheep and 100 head of cattle. The tussocks which wore burnt would take about three years to recover, 'because, ar, this time of the year, fire penetrated right to the roots of the tussocks. One block of land on the property which had been closed for three or four years to enable cocksfoot to get a, firm hold was completely burnt out, said Sir Heaton Rhodes. The fire, fortunately, did not spread near any houses, but at one time it threatened Kennedy's Bush. If the bush had burnt, he said, the lire might have endangered property at Governor’s Bay. About, 50 persons worked throughout the early hours of yesterday morning, fighting the fire and eventually extinguished it, but before it was completely under control the fire kept breaking out in fresh places. Sir Heaten Rhodes paid tribute to the assistance given by neighbours who, he said, were extremely helpful in fighting the fire. His farm manager returned late yesterday afternoon, after fighting the fire almost continuously for 24 hours.

HILLERSDEN OUTBREAK. BLENHEIM, April 18. Four sheep-runs, at Hillersden, 35 miles from Blenheim, were involved, at least two seriously, in a grass fire, which broke away yesterday afternoon, and spread rvith alarming rapidity. Fortunately, the outbreak was practically entirely confined to the hills, but settlers ■ spent an anxious night fighting- to prevent the flames coming down on to the flats, where grave damage could have been caused. They were helped considerably by a change in the wind, which turned in the. evening to the south, and tended to blow the blaze back to the hills. This morning, the weary fire-fighters returned from an all-night battle, to report that their effort had been successful and that the fire was extinguished. As far as can be ascertained, the lire liroke away on the Stanhope property, occupied by Mr. R. B. McLennan, about midday, yesterday, but did not assume serious proportions till later in the afternoon. Settlers were not long in gathering, but by the time they had concentrated on the hills, the wind had swept the. lire along through the gullies and over ridges, from.Stanhope to Wantwood, owned by Mr. G.' Nevlile, and Hartles’- Hills, owned by Mr. F. L. Alurray. Al the same time it spread in the opposite, direction' from Stanhope towards Mr. J. Barry's property, slightly to the north. At one stage the fire had a front of about four miles, and extended in from (be hills about a mile. Much of the .■’.fc: 1 , however, consists of gullies, so tliat the acreage of actual pasture dcstros'od may not exceed 1500. r rhere is no information regardin'.’ stock I< sses, but there is a distinct probabii:ty that these may be severe.