BUSH FIRES

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 January 1926, Page 5

BUSH FIRES

RAETIHI THREATENED. FLAMES STOP ROAD TRAFFIC. SOME HOUSES BURNT. (by TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) RAETIHI, Jan. 22. In .eonsequence of heavy wind, almost of hurricane force, many people hastily left the Raetihi sports this afternoon. Fires are spreading in all directions, and the road between Ohakune and Raetihi is impassable. Several refugees have .reached Raetilii. The wind has changed and now (five o’clock) threatens Raetihi with bush fires. The trains will probably be blocked for some hours at least. Many people will have to stay in Raetihi tonight, being unable to get home. The last car through the RaetduOhakune road reports that the route is now impassable. A wooden bridge is burning fiercely. Houses, occupied by Howard. \vi - liamson and Marsh are reported to have been burned. Many -others are in imminent danger, the wind being threatening. 1 Raetihi. .Horopito, Ranga-taua and Pokaki are also in danger. UFA V 1 RAIN. ALLRVI A.TI'K T!HI I.EATEN ING SITUATION A generous fall of rain at Raetihi early last night alleviated a threatening ..situation, states the Chronicle. All day) the township had been uneasy, a terrific wind causing slumbering fires to spring up and race across the country in such a manner that by noon a. serious Situation had developed. Many country people, learning ot the growing danger, left the principal holiday attraction —the .sports—to return to their farms. The most danger was at Ruatiti. Haropito and Pokaka, where sawmills, a.s well as farmlands were menaced. Telephone communication wa.s broken, tout it Is known that- several dwellings were burned. No loss, of life, or personal injury, however, was reported, and last night the position had 'been eased toy heavy showers of rain. A further report from the affected area stated that, many returning from the sports found their return to their homes cut off. Closing in. on the O'ha-kune-Raetihi Road, the fire threatened to interrupt motor traffic completely, and though one or two got through others were turned back by the smoke and flames.

Bridges on all. roads leading out of Raetihi were endangered. At the various sawmills the danger war, particularly acute, and at Plunkett”s mill ami Smith’s mill thorough precautions had to be observed, and a careful watch on the buildings was maintained.

Up till 7 o’clock the fire had not approached within four or five miles of Raetihi. and when heavy rain fell at about 7 p.m. it was felt that the danger was a.t least relieved. The Raetihi police reported that refugees whose homes had been destroyed arrived in the town during the afternoon. The dwellings that were destroyed were principally cottagers in the sawmill area, close to the mills. Railway communication was not interrupted and the evening train got through to Raetihi successfully.