SWEPT BY FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10508, 11 February 1928, Page 9

SWEPT BY FIRE.

PICTURESQUE RUSH DESTROYED TE AROHA MOUNTAIN ARLAZE. sawmill sayed. ashes fall oyer town. HOUSES -MENACED. (Press Association.) HAMILTON. Feb. 10. A disastrous lire swept a large area on the slopes of tlie Te Arolia mountain last evening, and tor hours anxiety was lelt for tlie safety- of the outskirts of the town." One hundred acres ot scrub and picturesque hush have been destroyed, and even at 10 p.m. when the risk to the town seemed over, there was a wall of Maine over a mile long, making its way up the gully near Bald Spur. The water reservoir on the lull was endangered and the tears of residents were aggravated by the failure of the electric light. The danger, so far as the town was concerned, vanished t hen the wind dropped. 'The lire originated in Ruakaka suburb, where nlackberry was being burned off. <Pree» Association.) AUCKLAND. Ith. 10. A fit? on Te Aroha , eumrain last night originated in Ruakaka suburb, where blackberry was being Limed off. At 4.45 p.m., when the alarm was given, tlie flames reached 30ft in height. The flames jumped a creek and crossed two wide tracks. Ashes began to tall over the town as the sheets of flame rushed through the dry bush, but the wind carried the sparks away, front the residential area. Trainer’s sawmill was in the centre of the outbreak, and the fire-lighters decided to salvage the equipment. ’The hush surrounding the mill was demolished rapidly before a wall of lire with a frontage of nearly a mile and a-half. The mill was saved, hut the lire laid waste practically all the Imsh on which the plant is dependent. The mill engine and wagon were dragged to safety down the mill, track, as it was feared the clearing might not prove a sufficient tire break. It seemed as if the workers might he cut. off from escape L>v a sudden change of wind, but a lull at the critical moment averted this danger. As the flames spread through the thick hush several houses wore menaced, but were saved by a change in the direction of the wind. At 10.3!) p.rh. the firelighters concluded that the outskirts of Ihe town were sale, and ceased work for the night. The fire had exhausted itself hy midnight, though at one time there was n circle of flame six miles in circumference and every gully and forno. This morning flu- mountain appeared as a charred peak, numerous smoking trunks of trees being grim remnants nf one of Nature’s most beautiful collection* of trees and .shrubs’, that had taken scores ol years to grow. When the fire had ascended one peak exceeding 3000 ft., it gradually died out. having apparently absorbed, all the lighter ’ growth during its quick transit across the mountain.