CANTERBURY DAMAGE

Grey River Argus, 11 February 1941, Page 7

CANTERBURY DAMAGE

SCRUB FIRES AND GALE. CHRISTCHURCH, February 10. Several fires in areas covered oy scrub or grass broke out during the week-end near the city and in parts of Canterbury. In spite of rain that fell on Saturday night there were a few outbreaks yesterday. They were spread by the strong wind, but the hard work of fire-fighters prevented any serious damage from being done.

About 15 acres of broom were swept by a fire which broke out about 2.30 p.m. on Saturday between Shortland road and Cuff's road, Aranui. The fire was fought by about 40 voluntary helpers, and when it seemed to be likely to get well under way, it was successfully combated by back-firing and other The fire was under control by 4.3 Q p.m.

Another' outbreak occurred yesterday afternoon in the same area destroying a further 15 acres of broom. Mr. Dickie said that the recurrence was probably caused by smouldering horse-droppings, which, unless they were thoroughly drenched, were very, difficult to extinguish. Both this and Saturday’s fire, although they approached buildings, did not seriously threaten them. The New Brighton Volunteer Fire Brigade' and about 8(1 voluntary helpers were responsible for preventing the blaze from spreading. ' The brigade also prevented an outbreak in a high hedge within eight feet of the British Baptist Church at North Beach on Saturday afternoon from reaching the church. A spark from the first north-bound excursion train is believed to have started a grass fire at Rangitata' last evening, which spread rapidly over an area of about three miles long by hall a mile wide. It was feared for a time that homesteads and stacks were endangered but the strip covered by the fire missed these. There were no stock on the property, which is leased by Mr. J. S. Barker, of Four Peaks, Geraldine from the Metcalf family. A tree which fell and broke an electric line at Ealing caused a fire to break out near the farm of Mr. H. R. Scott yesterday morning.

THE GALE. A high north-west wind, frequently reaching gale force, swept the Canterbury Plains yesterday morningafter some heavy showers overnight. Trees shed branches everywhere, bringing down power and communication lines. Fruitgrowers found half their crops on the ground, but farmers did not suffer so much because most of the harvesting is done. In the city, streets were littered with twigs, big branches lay everywhere, and two little girls had a very lucky escape when a huge branch fell from a black poplar. This was in Puriri street, Riccarton, where the girls were about to cross a footbridge mto the Fendalton Domain. The branch landed just behind them. The maximum velo’city of wind, as recorded at the Air Force Meteorological Station at Wigram, was 74 miles an hour, recorded at 9.30 a.m. The next highest gusts were 58 miles an hour (11.15 a.m.), and 54 miles an hour (12.30 p.m.). The wind turned to south-west at 12.30 p.m. It was also the second hottest d#iy of the summer, the temperature rising to 90.3 degrees at Wigram. The only higher temperature at Wigram this summer was 90.4 degrees.

On the land, the gale did not have the devastating effect It would have had a few weeks ago. Crops are headed and safe, but the progress of roots and rape will be slowed up because the wind and heat would offset the night’s rain. Pine trees were uprooted. wheat stacks topped, fences laid low, and light outbuildings overturned. Huge dust clouds whirled over the river-beds.

Damage likely to run into thousands of pounds was caused in the large orchard areas of Loburn and Rangiora'. Described by many fruitgrowers as the most severe gale in the area at this time of the season for more than 20 years, the wind almost completley stripped hundreds of trees of early apples. Most of the orchards at Loburn are fairly well provided with shelter-belts, but even these protections were not able to save the fruit trees from a drastic buffeting. One fruitgrower said yesterday afternoon that on his property there were more apples on the ground than on the trees. Kaikoura residents described the gale there as the worst in a lifetime. Telephone wires, trees, and stacks were blown down. At the height of the gale, a huge dust-cloud blown from the shingle slides of Mount Fyffe obliterated the mountain and was carried far out to sea. In ,the Public Works Department camp, topside the main road at Stonyhurst, two huts were blown from their foundations and smashed.

Of five telephone toll wires connecting Ashburton with Christchurch three were out of order because ol: trees which had been blown across the wires at Burnham. Some of the Christchurch-Timaru toll wires were believed also to be affected at the same point. All telephone connection between Ashburton and Mayfield was broken off at 8.30 a.m., but was restored at 1 p.m.