GRASS, SCRUB AND LUPIN FIRES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17246, 12 January 1924, Page 9

GRASS, SCRUB AND LUPIN FIRES.

MANY OUTBREAKS. SMOKE OVER CITY. Fires broke out this afternoon in many parts of North Canterbury, destroying large areas of grass, scrub, and lupin. Between two o’clock and five o’clock, there were two huge pillars of smoke, one to the east of the city near Wainoni, and the other to tho north-west, near the "Waimakariri. FIRE AT CHEVIOT. The Cheviot correspondent of the “ Star ” telegraphs r—A grass and tussock fire of considerable extent is spreading in the vicinity of the Waiau Road and the old Parnassus station. A call has been sent out for volunteers, and a number are motoring to the locality. Another report says that seven miles of countryside near Parnassus is ablaze and that vigorous attempts are being made to check the outbreak. Word was received bv telephone just before o o’clock that the fire had been got under. It had gone through a very large stretch of country, burning out grass and tussock on Murray’s and Macfarlane’s properties and part of Mendip. FIRE IN LUPINS. About 1 p.m. today a fire got ft start in lupins, gorse and broom near Wainoni Road, New Brighton, and was swept- by the wind in a. south westerly direction toward the Aranui School, covering a fairly large area. At 5 p.m. it was still spreading, apparently in the vicinity of the school. The wind sank about 3.30 p.m., and the fire then was checked by some men, who chopped out a pit-.

FIRE AT EYRETON. ON MANUKA SCRUB COUNTRY. A big fire was raging this afternoon on Dixon’s manuka 6crub country at West Eyreton on the north side of the. Waimakariri. Mr Dixon, dollowlng his usual practice, started the fire a few days ago to burn off the scrub, but seemingly, it did not get a good hold until this afternoon. Fanned by the strong north-wester it spread over a large tract of country, making dense volumes of smoke. It is not 1 ely that the fire will extend, but apprehension is felt if the wind changes to the south-west. Mr Dixon had a good many men at work watching the fire, which was burning over clear country, and threatened no buildings. A later message stated that the fire was at the end of Cavanagh’s Island, on the property of Mr George Shipley. Cavanagh’s Island is opposite M’Lean’s Island and opposite Swannanoa. The river at this point is divided and Cavanagh’s is surrounded totally by water. There are no homesteads on the island and the fire has been burning for two and a half days. The flames shot into the air to a height of thirty feet and the smoke extended to Ellesmere.

BLAZE AT ARANUI. OLD MAN’S CAMP DESTROYED. An old man named Victor Sundberg, seventy-two years of age, was camping in a clearing and his tent and everything he had there was burned, all that was left being a chimney. He had obtained provisions from neighbours for a long time, as he was too feeble to do any work. He was at New Brighton when the fire started and the place was competely destroyed before he reached the scene. A neighbour tried to save the old man's belongings, but the flames prevented that being done. Later the north-east wind freshened again and a party of men were kept busy keeping the flames from the outhouses of the Aranaui School. Some anxious moments were experienced by residents in the vicinity who were to be seen busily chopping Bpaces round their houses. A house belonging to Mr Samson, which was situated right in the affected area, had a narrow escape from being burned, but a party of men burned and chopped spaces round the house and succeeded in saving the building. About 5 o’clock a large party commenced chopping a clearing across the back of the Aranui Settlement to keep the blaze, which had assumed alarming proportions in the rising wind, from burning the settlement. At 5.20 p.m. the aspect was worse than earlier in the afternoon.