GRIM TALLY

Northern Advocate, 18 February 1926, Page 5

GRIM TALLY

oirrcoME of bush fires THIRTY FATALITIES REPORTED. MOUNTAIN DWELLERS ISOLATED. (Received 9.5 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. A revised list of bush fire victims show's that 30 are dead, two missing and nine seriously injured, but this probably will be altered from day to day as searchers continue their wox'k.

There are 200 people in the Horsfall mountains without food or * , *“ltcr. Pack horses laden with food hax been despatched, but as the roads are strewn with burning logs it will be some time before they can cut a way through. A man and his wife with their baby, at Fumina, drenched themselves with water and sheltered in an outhouse until the first flames passed. Then they returned to a potato patch and dug a hole in which they lay covered with earth until the worst of the fire had passed. Then they stood in a creek for the remainder of the night. Reports from Beoae, beyond Powclltown, state that there has been a fresh outbreak there and the position is dangerous. ? The wind threatens to carry the flames through heavily timbered country, hitherto untouched, towards Noojee. The wind is still rising, and women and children have been ordered to leave.

The Governor-General has received a message of sympathy from his Majesty, statihg that it is with the deepest concern he has heard of the devastating bush fires.—A. and N.Z.

RENEWED ALARM. SUPPLEMENTARY OUTBREAKS. MANY MILLIONS DAMAGE. (Received 12.10 p.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. A fresh wave of uneasiness spread throughout the State when reports were received that bush fires had broken out afresh at many centres which suffered severely from the disaster at the week-end.

Nine new fires are reported, in the wake of a strong south-west wind, the most serious being at Warburton, Walhalla, Yallourn, and on Black Spur, near Healtsville. Up to the present no further damage has occurred beyond the denuding of fresh areas of timber. Ealballs is the centre in most danger at present, owing to the fires advancing from the south and west.

Mountain Ben Cairn, a tourist resort near Warburton, is the centre of a large fire which is sweeping towards a number of homesteads and sawmills. The women and children have been ordered out of the mill settlements.

A report from Toora states that a dangerous fire is burning in that area and fears are entertained for the safety of an aged couple named Cope, whose isolated cottage in the hills seems to be entirely surrounded by flames. Communication is at present impossible.

The outbreak at Yallourn is in serious danger of getting out of hand. Already extensive damage has been done, including the destruction off’ a steam shovel valued at £25,000, and the partial destruction of another of the same value.

No concerted action .has yet been made to assess the damage caused to property and timber forests by the fires, but it is generally believed that it will total many millions.

At Mount Erica the damage to timber is estimated at £2,400,000, on the basis of £2OOO per acre. This forest is amongst the most valuable in Victoria.

It has been ascertained that Joseph Johnson, previously reported missing, is dead, making the total to date 30.

W. Collins, --reported missing, has been found uninjured.—A. and N.Z.

NEW ZEALAND OFFERS

PRACTICAL SYMPATHY. VICTORIA’S APPRECIATION.' GISBORNE, This Day. In connection with the Victorian bush fires, the Prime Minister telegraphed the acting Premier of Victoria, at Melbourne, conveying the sympathy of the people of New Zealand, and condolences on the loss of life and property, also offering to assist in relief measures for the sufferers by the fiery visitation. The Hon. J. Allan, Premier of Victoria, iS at Dunedin. He telegraphed Mr Coates expressing thanks for the kindly offer, but said the generous responses by the Victorian people to the call for aid in co-opera-tion with State Government, made it unnecessary to accept New Zealand’s proffered aid. Mr Allan added that the latest information showed that the fires were subsiding.—Press Assn.