SCRUB FIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1932, Page 5

SCRUB FIRE

OUTBREAK IN CANTERBURY. SERIOUS DAMAGE AVERTEDI (By Telegraph—Per Press Association} CHRISTCHURCH, January 24. ■Scrub fires, fanned by a howling nor’-wester, caused some concern to the residents of Bromley, Burwood and Wainoni veserday and to-day, but no damage wa,s T;i done. The localities concerned are sand hills covered with lupin and broom, with a few pine plantations scattered about. The scrub was burned off over a huge area, and trees were damaged, but the bouses in the vicinity wen? not touched, though at times, they were menaced.

The New Brighton fire brigade <lid' good work and, assisted by residents and volunteers, beat out the flames this afternoon.

The fires swept over 200 acres arcund Burwood.

The fire started in. the (Drainage Board’s Property at Burwood about 11.30 a.in. The flames crossed Cuthbers Road and endangered a Drainage Board house in Ru.ru Boad, accupied by Mr O. Gracie. The flames swept on, leaping up small plantations of pine trees, and: there was serious danger of the fire crossing Dyer’s Road where several houses are Bituated, Homes there were eva* ouated.

Four houses were menaced at Cuth“ bert's Road, At Mr Gracie's house, the firemen were supplied with gas masks to enable them to' penetrate a belt of acrid smoke which swept across Dyer’? Road, while on their way to the lire. Thirty acres of lupin and broom were destroyed at Wainoni. A fire at .Kowai Bridge, near Springfield, yesterday" burned twenty feet of planking, but did not- impair the usefulness of the structure. A homestead and a few week-end baches in the vicinity were threatened, but the flames were speedily suppressed. A terrific nor’-wester blew all day, and for a time the flames were leaping in the direction of the homesteac? owned by ,Mr W. Carson. Two horfday baches, also owned by Mr Carson, were seriously threatened- The family of Mr E. L'awry was removed from one bach, while the other was unoccupied.

Thirty railwaymen in the district from Springfield and Avooa were fighting the fire, but were seriously hampered by lack of water as the river bed is almost dry.

The main fire, sweeping across the, bridge to the thick scrub in the riverbed, missed Mr Carson’s homestead and the baches as if by a miracle.