TERRIBLE BUSH FIRES DO ENORMOUS DAMAGE IN N.S.W.

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6814, 18 January 1929, Page 4

TERRIBLE BUSH FIRES DO ENORMOUS DAMAGE IN N.S.W.

Fiery Circle Round Sydney WOMAN AND FOUR CHILDREN HAVE REMARKABLE ESCAPE

Destructive busii fires raged through a great portion of New South Wales on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Sydney itself at one time was encircled by almost a complete ring of fires. Extensive damage was done by the burning of homesteads, fencing, pasture and live stock. Two women and four children had a remarkable escape from being either burned or suffocated by a fire which raged around the military remount area and ammunition depot at Holdsworthy on Wednesday afternoon and night. The fire raged over an area of thousands of acres in the bush surrounding the military grounds for hours before it threatened the buildings . Captain Roach, -who is in charge of the remount depot, and about 17 others stationed there, fought desperately with firemen and others to quell the outbreak. Mrs. Worley, her four children and a friend, were living at the remount depot. In the afternoon tho flames approached dangerously close to the weatherboard buildings, and the women took the children to an old concrete gaol for protection. They locked themselves inside the building and remained there until they were released. During thatNime the flames had actually passed over, and round the old gaol. The heat was immense and the smoke was suffocating.

Captain Roach and several others realised the plight of tho women and children when they were some distance away, and cut off from the depot by the fire. They gallantly rode through the flames, however, and after many narrow escapes from being burned, they reached tho depot. After searching the buildings they went to the gaol

and there found the women and children. They were almost exhausted from the heat and smoke, but revived after being taken from the gaol. The fire burned to within 400 yards of the ammunition dumps before it was diverted by the fire-fighters. There was a large amount of ammunition stored in the dumps.

Burning Debris Near Hospital. Viewed from the heights of Lane Cove, the scene on Wednesday afternoon was awe-inspiring. Bush fires were burning throughout the district, and from the elevated spots one could look down on a heavy pall of smoke, under which were hidden the valley of the Lane Cove River and the extensive gullies which run into it. In the wooded portions of tho district the residents gave over the whole of the day to protecting their homes and in assisting to safeguard those of their neighbours. Practically all the men in the district were engaged in fire-fighting, and many women and children assisted. Many women spent the day playing w'ater from garden hoses on the walls of their dwellings. There were many outbreaks during the day, the principal ones being in the gully-near Tambourine Bay and. in Fern Gully, which runns parallel with Penrose Street. In the latter street is situated Lane Cove House—Dr. Chisholm Ross’ private mental hospital—and that institution was a source, of anxiety to tho firemen and the officials of the hospital at several periods of the day.

Standing at the end of a ridge overlooking the river, the hospital was exposed to the dangers of the huge fire in Fern Gully, and also to another outbreak which had extended to the water ’s edge on the opposite. side of tho river. ' During the morning burning debris was blown near the southern end of the hospital but was beaten out after much difficulty. A £30,000 Bark Plant Destroyed.

Racing down the grass plains from Mount Darragh, a bush fire swept through Wyndham and completely wiped out the homes of Messrs. J. Umback and Mrs. W. Pheeney. Twenty pigs belonging to Mrs. Pheeney perished, and her motor car was destroyed. Driven by a strong wind the fire travelled on to Whipstick mines, where every building except tho schoolhouse]

was reduced to ashes. A wattle-bark extraction plant, which had cost £30,000 and several dwellings were burned down.

At Whipstick mines the wind caught up the burning debris and carried it 10 miles away on tho properties at Lochiel or three settlers, who saved their homes after desperately fighting the flames, but lost all their grass. The flames then bounded on to Nethereote, where hundreds of acres of grass were burned out. Tre fire demolished many miles of fencing. Bush fires travelled furiously through the village of Numbugga, destroying the schoolhouse and teacher’s residence and the post office, the occupants of which were forced to flee for their lives.

Thousands of acres of grass and many miles of fencing wero destroyed to tho north and west of Bega, but the firefighters managed to save a number of settlers’ homes. Sheds, farm machinery and hay stacks perished in the flames.

Mr and Mrs. W. R. Kingsford were travelling by motor car to Eden when a huge tree fell across the car, which was forced .to the edge of a precipice, and nearly toppled into the deep gully below. Neither of the occupants were injured, but the car was damaged. Disastrous fires Taged near Adelong, and throughout Wednesday night gangs of men attempted to stop their progress by burning trails. Owing to the heavy wind, however, the fires jumped from tho tree tops and continued to make headway. The flames at times rose 50ft. high. Terrific bush fires raged in the vicinity of Castlereagh and Llandilo on Wednesday. At times the flames were 100 ft. high.