FIRES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5769, 13 January 1897, Page 4

FIRES.

Our Springfield correspondent writes : — The bush fire at Otarama, and ou the hills at the back, adjoining what is known as Patterson's countiy, is still burning, and a great deal of damage has beon done. A lot of grass on the Mount Torlesse Ruu has been destroyed, and unless rain comes soon, the outlook for winter feed will not be hopeful. On the Oxford side matters are looking very grave. A. fire, coming apparently from the other sido of Mount Oxford, near the summit, has gradually gained in volume until now it appears from here to cover two or three. thousand aci.*es, and it is still gaining ground, taking the whole bush before it, from foot to summit of the hills, and tending in the direction of View Hill and the Waimakariri Gorge. Jf it continues there will scarcely be an acre of green bush left from Oxford to the gorge of the Waimakariri. A large grass fire was burning on the Tekoa Station yesterday. There was also a serious bush fire raging at Oxford, and saw-mills were reported to be in danger. Before the afternoon train left some hundreds of acres of bush on the Government land and property belonging to Mr Ryde were destroyed, together with about sixty chains of tramway and bridges. No further particulars are to hand. A grass fire occurred off the Sumner Road, Lyttelton, yesterday afternoon, and spread with such rapidity that the brigade and a large number of other volunteers had to turn out to prevent it spreading to some houses in the vicinity. A number of boys were seen to run from tho spot where the fire started. On Monday afternoon a grass fire started from some unknown cause in the Horrellville district and burnt over a considerable area of land belonging to Messrs J. Foster, W. Storer, King and others. Fences, grass and a field or two of oats were destroyed, and it was only with great difficulty that the fire was mastered. Yesterday there was a large fire burning ih the direction of West Eyreton, probably in the manuka scrub on Mr M. Dixon's run.