FIGHTING THE FLAMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18585, 18 December 1923, Page 8

FIGHTING THE FLAMES

FIRES NEAR CARTERTON. SETTLERS' HEAVY IX>£\S. •A TWENTY-HOURS', STRUGGLE [bx TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.'] CARTERTON.' Monday. Sixteen years ago fierce bush fires swept sin area of the Maungatariri 'Valley near Mount Holds worth, the ' settlers being heavy losers. Nothing approaching; such fires had occurred again until Sunday last. A fortnight previously a small fire started in the Waiugawa - River Valley. This died down but a heavy gale |on Saturday nigh', fanned the embers to a blaze and new files started in two directions, one toward Mikimiki and the other toward Maungatariri.

Fierce flames soon enveloped the standing bush and rushed in terrifying rapidity toward the settlers' holdings, * '/he properties of Moore Bros., Blake Bros., D. Anderson, and others were , swept, fences destroyed and Stock burned. Mr. Thompson's property, Mountain House, was seriously threatened, but with .the help .of a week-end campiijg party the fire was diverted off the homestead. The woolshed, however, was demolished. The fire caused panic among a camping party which rushed to their motorcar and raced through the flaming grass and logs, miraculously reaching safety without mishap. A dense pali ot smoke settled over Carterton. Several parties went out to help, but were compelled to return. . At Blatchford's two fires converged and formed a raging inferno. Trees fell everywhere and the flames steadily and rapidly approached the homestead. Mr. BLatchford, his wife, and Miss Foreman, and his sister-in-law, fought back the flames until they were ready to drop, but the fire still came nearer. Completely exhausted they gave up t'he struggle. Fortunately, other settlers whom the fire had visited previously guessed the position and formed a rescue party. . The Kirkland Road was impassable and the party worked their way through paddocks of blazing and blackened stumps. They arrived at Mr. Blatchford's farm just as he . had given up the fight. The whole party set to work and formed. a buc'ret brigade from the river. The women worked in the blinding smoke as strenuously as the men. . Suddenly Miss Foreman was missed arid a. quick search revealed her lying on the ground semi-conscious from a bsow from a bough. She revived and set to work again. > From 8.30 a.m. on Sunday until 4 a.m. on Monday practically SO hours, the party laboured anceo singly. Then heavy rain fell on the hills ana the wind dropped. The homestead and all the sheds were thus saved. .

Mr. Bl&tchford's was in a shed and was driven to the river bank and left in safety from the firo. A terrific gust of wind a litCie later carried the hood completely away and shattered the windscreen to fragments. No accurate forecast of damage can be made, but it is known that many miles' of fencing wre destroyed : and 300 to 500 acres of pasture burned. A considerable number of stock was lost.

Hundreds of rabbits, opossums and hares ran about with fur flaming and squealing in agony and terror. To-day the smoke has cleared away and the situation appears well in hand. The fires are still smouldering, but it is thought there will be no •' further great danger should the gale return.