HEAVY DAMAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23245, 14 January 1939, Page 13

HEAVY DAMAGE

BUSH FIRES IN 1936 THREE STATES AFFECTED STOCK AND PROPERTY LOSSES TOLL OF HUMAN LIFE Bush fires have taken heavy toll of life, both human and animal, in Australia in past years, and there have also been vast losses of property and valuable timber as a result of the tremendous spread of flames through scrub and standing bush. Particularly heavy losses occurred in 1986, when fires in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland swept wide areas. Reports from Melbourne in March that year stated that Victoria had been suffering from bush fires all ono week. Hot northerly winds from the dry interior had parched practically the wholo State, and bush fires, the worst for many years, had destroyed homes, valuable timber country and rich pastures. Stock had also been lost. Bush fires became out of control in Queensland early in November, 1936, and developed into some of tho worst in tho history of the State. They left a trail of havoc along a front of 400 miles, and 230 men, including 30 policemen from Brisbane, battled against the flames. Many buildings were destroyed. Damage amounting to at least £20.000 was caused in the samo month by fires that raged through bush and scrub on the eastern slopes of the Blue Mountains.

For three days the flames desolated huge areas of picturesque valley and mountain bushland, but hundreds of men managed to savo the townships of Glenfield and Springwood, which were threatened with destruction. Twenty homes were destroyed, and many others were damaged.