FIRE IN BUSH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22900, 1 December 1937, Page 12

FIRE IN BUSH

FRONT OF FIVE MILES TOKAANU ROAD AREA HEAT DRIVES OUT WORKERS MILLS ESCAPE DAMAGE [br TELEGRAPH —own correspondent] TAUMAHUNUI, Tuesday Fanned by <i stiff southerly breeze, ft fierce fire raged this afternoon in bush on the left-hand side of the National Park-Tokaanu Road, about seven miles past the turn-off to the Chateau Tonfjariro. . , . The fire spread with great rapidity among the worked bush, and eventuallv spread to the green timber in the bush being worked by the Egmont Box Company, Weir and Kennedy s mill and Carter's mill. It was blazing over a five-mile front, and the heat was so intense that the men working in the bush were forced to come out at two o'clock in the afternoon. The wind dropped later in the day and the fire diminished in intensity, bo far the mills themselves and the mill houses have not been touched by the fire, and will not be endangered unless the wind changes to the north, in which case the position may become serious. 4 l„ Interviewed to-day, Mr. fcwmg, the assistant manager'of the Chateau, said that he went out to investigate the extent of the fire, and found thft. it had not touched the National lark area. There appears to be no likelihood of the National Park being endangered unless a northern win springs up and drives the fire- across the road into the park.