ALARMING BUSHFIRE

Northern Advocate, 13 October 1934, Page 12

ALARMING BUSHFIRE

HOUSES THREATENED. TOWNSPEOPLE MOBILISED. SYDNEY, October 2. Residents of Hazelbrook were mobilised last night to fightj a fire which bore down on the town, under the influence of a strong wind. Desperate attempts to stop the fire at the railway line, had,been successful late last night, but flames surrounded houses on the southern side of the railway. I The wind, which blew at times at 40 miles an hour, carried great gusts of burning sparks into the houses. Women with buckets of water assisted men to extinguish the : sparks. The clouds of sparks were, so, thick that trains were delayed, as it was feared that the goods trucks might become ignited. The heat of the last few days had dried up luxuriant undergrowth,' and residents became uneasy. When the fire began in a gully to the south of the town, volunteers hastily burnt firebreaks around the houses and. scraped leaves and grass away , to leave bare strips of soil. The fire came towards the town at amazing speed. The dry undergrowth burnt like tinder, and the flames raced through it. When the fire reached dry trees and thick patches of: scrub, flames shot 100 feet into the' air. .On the more open patches the flames scurried over the dead leaves and fallen branches. The wind broke off burning twigs and bunches of leaves, and carried them'ahead to start fresh outbreaks in front of the; main, blaze. When the fire approached Hazelbrook it was raging along a two : mile front. Constable Paine, of Lawson,' collected volunteers and took charge of the firefighters. Awe-inspiring Scene. ' The scene shortly after dark was awe-inspiring. A hillside to the south of the town had been swept through. Only the larger trees had been left; They stood in thousands burning like torches. It was impossible to see down the gullies. They were filled with smoke through which flames burst at intervals. The town is roughly divided into two halves by the railway. .. The fire-fight-ers were divided into two groups. One took the railway line as their front, and the - other division formed; a flying squad to watch the houses cm the threatened southern side. The fire swept to the railway lines between the houses, - where men worked desperately to prevent the flames crossing the breaks. • Women had filled their kitchen utensils, buckets, and , other receptacles with water. Whenever burning branches fell against the walls of the houses or on the, verandahs they were', extinguished with\ water/ -v ‘ ! . . Great Columns of . smoke/[bearing burning branches and sparks poured across the town. Goods trains were stopped at Lawson and- Woodford. When ; the wind abated their crews were informed by telephone, and‘they passed through the danger area. Reports from Hazelbrook shortly before midnight indicated':, that all the houses would be saved. !■ : ' v