PEAT FIRES EXTEND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21094, 30 January 1932, Page 10

PEAT FIRES EXTEND.

FRONT OF TWO MILES.

DAMAGE TO PROPERTIES. AREAS OF FLAX BURNED. FIGHTERS USE POWERFUL PUMP. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] PAEROA, Friday. The- swamp fires in the Kaihere and Torch ape districts on the Hauraki Plains have extended over wider areas during the last 24 hours. It' is estimated that they now sweep along a frontage of over two miles.

The properties traversed by the fires have been damaged to so great an extent, that they will be of little use for many years. Mr.' E. Small field s farm, which had been considerably improved as a result of 12 to 15 years' occupation, has been practically ruined. The fire has burned info the soil to a depth of several feet, and has destroyed all pasture, fences and improvements in its pat hj, leaving only a mass of smouldering peat ash. The majority of the farm owners will be ruined. They will be forced to sell their stock at tho prevailing low prices, which must entail further losses.

Officers of the Lands Department have diverted a stream into tho Kaihere Road drain and have installed 011 a motor-lorry a powerful pump, with which the men are pumping water 011 to tho burning land beside the road. By this means they are apparently holding the fire in check in that locality.

The flax area in the vicinity of Ihe Kaihere landing is now well alight. Flames, which are leaping 7ft. and Bft. in the air, arc devouring many tons of valuable flax. It is difficult to estimate the area of the flax land which has been burned, as it is impossible to see any distance on account of the dense clouds of smoke. It appears certain, however, that the entire block of 500 to 600 acres will be burned.

Another large fire is raging in the Patetonga and Manawhero districts, and is advancing through Government flax land in the direction of Mr. G. Smerle's flaxmill. The land traversed by this fire is unimproved and is not occupied by settlers.

This morning Mr. A. 1\ Grant, assist-ant-district Public Works engineer at Paeroa, transferred all the relief workers from the Karangahake camp to the scene, of the fires. This reinforcement will bring the total number of men fighting the fires to approximately 100. The Post and Telegraph Department's officers have experienced difficulty in maintaining « telephone communication. This morning the lines were out of action for a. short period, but communication was quickly restored and is now thought to be secure.

The county engineer and his men are concentrating on the protection of the roads and have up to the present prevented any material damage. Rain is urgently required, and it will be necessary t.o have a heavy downpour even to check the progress of the fire, as it has burned deeply into the peaty soil. Fortunately, the wind has not been strong and this fact is helping the fighters.

AEROPLANES OVER FIRES. FLIGHT THROUGH SMOKE. PILOTS' VISION OBSCURED. A vivid impression of the extent and intensity of the peat fires at Kailicre and Torehape was obtained by the occupants of three aeroplanes belonging to the Auckland Aero Club which flew over the Hauralci Plains to To Aroha and back yesterday. The smoke ascended to about 5000 ft. and reduced the range of vision to about half a mile.

Flight-Lieutenant D. M. Allan, instructor to the club, who also traversed the same area the previous day 011 a trip to Gisborne and back, said the smoke yesterday was less dense than on Thursday, when it rose to a height of about 5000 ft., restricting visibility to about u-quartcr of a mile. This does not necessarily imply that the fires have abated, however, as the stronger wind yesterday would have dispelled the smoke to a certain extent. There was a strong wind from the. south-west, whereas on Thursday there was only a very light breeze from the north-west.

Nothing but a pall of heavy smoke could be seen from the air, Mr. Allan said, any flames being obscured by the density of the smoke. Hundreds of acres appeared to be affected and the machines were in the fog for about a-quarter of an hour.