GRAZING ABLAZE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21933, 30 January 1946, Page 6

GRAZING ABLAZE

HOUSE JUST SAVED TE HAPARA OUTBREAK FIGHTERS’ HARD TASK Assistance rendered to the Gisborne Fire Brigade by many private citizens and children enabled the brigade to keep within bounds a serious grass fire which developed in Te Hapnra yesterday afternoon. The blaze consumed several acres of grazing, and only with the greatest difficulty was it kept away from a house and outbuildings on the property. Valuable stock in the prVdocks also was protected with some difficulty. The outbreak started near Nelson road, which connects the main highway with the Taruheru River bridge near the old freezing-works site. Those who saw it in its early stages state

that it apoeared to start a short distance inside the boundary fence on Nelson road, and possibly as the result of a dropped cigarette butt or lighted match.

The grass in the paddocks was long and dry, and offered a perfect medium for the rapid spread of the flames before a steady south-easterly breeze. The fire brigade, when it reached the scene in response to a call, found a large area burning and the fire advancing speedily before the breeze. A number of people were already fighting the flames, but the heat was driving them back, and it was only when a stream of water was provided by the brigade that a check was given to the spread of the blaze. The brigade ran out 2400 ft. of hose, and used three pumps to lift the pressure to fire-fighting level at the nozzle, but the expenditure of water was not heavy owing to the spraying effect adopted. Beaters proved unavailing against the spread of the flames, but with the aid of water the fire-fighters *ot the upper hand in time to save a house which had seemed certain to go up in smoke. Those engaged in fighting the fire did not spare themselves, and a number of juveniles gave excellent assistance to'the brigade in beating out incipient fires in other parts of the area, started by sparks from the mam blaze.