SETTLERS AND TOWNSMEN FIGHT LOG FIRES IN MANGAOPORO

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22583, 11 March 1948, Page 4

SETTLERS AND TOWNSMEN FIGHT LOG FIRES IN MANGAOPORO

Settlers of the Waiapu Valley and residents of the townships of Ruatoria and Tikitiki joined forces during the past few days to fight log and grass fires which already have swept a considerable amount of country in the Mangaoporo Valley and which, with every change of wind, has threatened new extensions.

The crisis of the fiftht to date was the encroachment of the flames on tiie Uruahi station homestead plantation, where between 30 and 40 men rallied to beat back the fire from the residence, only 50 yards away.

creep of the flames through a leafstrewr. plantation to within 50yds. of the residence. The danger at this homestead passed fairly quickly, although there are still enough catches of fire about the neighbourhood to revive the risk in case of a brisk wind blowing up. \o Stock Losses Likely

Smoke had been rising from the Uruahi country for the past fortnight, following an outbreak of fire on a loggy face which was littered with dried matai and rata timber, among which rank grass carried the flame with startling rapidity under the influence of occasional breezes.

This morning the centre of the fire was on the property of Mr. Karauria Milner, a Maori settler in the Mangaoporo, where neighbours were helping Mr. Milner to keep it from spreading unnecessarily. The breeze was from the north-west, and settlers regarded it with some concern, as it tended to switch the blaze into country so far untouched.

It was only during the past few days, however, that the fires assumed any significance for neighbours, and began to spread into country where buildings might be endangered. This country was felled in 1929-30, and there has not been a second fire over it until this season- consequently there is plenty of fuel for the present blaze.

No stock losses have been reported or are expected, as the spread of the fire has been rather deliberate and settlers have had pleny of time to clear paddocks before the blaze. It is expected by Mr. J. E. Morrissey, manager of Uruani station, that a considerable amount of damage to fences will have been clone. Most of this property is fenced with silver pine posts from the West Coast of the South Island, and with matai battens from local sources. Both are especially subject to fire, and under the conditions of the past few days would probably ignite quickly. Settlers Appreciation of Help

During the first two weeks of the burn there was some hope of confining it within a small area, but smouldering roots kept the fire going deep in the ground, and each change of wind brought new developments as the flames, following the partially-rotted roots through the ground, emerged in new locations and took fresh hold on surface rubbish.

Movement Through Loggy Pastures On Tuesday a brisk wind carried the flames across-country from the Poroporo Valley into IVlangaoporo, and the situation began to develop alarming factors. Settlers from a wide area offered their assistance in any circumstances in which it could be employed, and residents in the Waiapu Valley settlements also volunteered for firefighting work. It was realised that there could be no possibility of stopping the movement of the lire through the loggy pastures, owing to the amount of dead timber lying about. Efforts were concentrated on protection of buildings, and when the Uruahi homestead was threatened yesterday there were plenty of hands available to meet, with wet sacks, green branches and shovels, the

The ashes of the lire are still too hot to permit of an examination of fence lines, and it will be the end of the week, presuming there is no further spread of the flames, before any real estimate of the damage can be made. Keen appreciation of the assistance rendered by people from the settlements was expressed this morning by Mr. Morrissey, who said that repeated offers of help had been forthcoming throughout the past week. The newly-formed Ruatoria Fire Brigade has offered any aid possible, but it had been agreed that its fire-fighting equipment was not suitable for use against log-fires, and brigadesmen contented themselves with working as volunteers among the gangs of beaters along the perimeter of the fire.