NORTH BEACH PROPERTIES NOW MENACED BY FIRE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19271, 7 January 1931, Page 7

NORTH BEACH PROPERTIES NOW MENACED BY FIRE

Fresh Outbreak Reported To Be Travelling Seawards Before Wind.

SWEEPING through t?le scrub, fire, an aftermath of yesterday’s blaze at Burwood, was heading for North Beach at one o’clock this afternoon. It threatened to be attended with far more serious results than yesterday’s blaze. From Inwood’s Road the fire travelled parallel to Reeves Road through the plantation on Mr Florance’s land, burst out thickly again in a dense patch of scrub on Mr Donald s leased proper tv, just on the city side of Racecourse Road, and threatened to carry on to the beach. In its path, four houses at the end of Racecourse Road were in imminent danger.

From Racecourse Road, there is a stretch of dense brush, which is as dry as tinder, towards which the fire was rapidly finding its way at 1 pjnNumerous “ baches ” and small houses are dotted over the area to which the wind, from the nor’-west, was driving the fire. Mr Milton, who lives at the furthermost end of Racecourse Road, was right in the path of the fire, which threatened his house for the second time since yesterday. At one o’clock he was standing on the roof watching the path of the flames and ready to leave when danger was imminent. Four youths were endeavouring to clear a patch of land at the end of Racecourse Road in an attempt to hold up the flames, but the heat and clouds of 'moke drove them away. Householders Warned. Up till that time there was no sign of anv fire brigade or of any assistance sent by the local bodies concerned. The North Beach constable was doing his unaided best on a bicycle by warning people whose houses might be in danger. Though the nor’-wester was not as strong as it was yestaday afternoon, the fire was making its way through the dense undergrowth at a fair speed and jumped small clearings without pause.

Big Party at Work. Fanned by the strong nor’-wesl wind, the fire swept through the lupins towards the more populated districts. At the end of Badger Street about 100 men armed with shovels and cutters started to cut a gap through the scrub to stop the flames. At 2.30 p.m. they had made a cut about a yard wide through the lupins. The fire was a bare hundred yards away, and the smoke was so dense that the men had to take short spells in the open. There are three houses just ai short distance behind the protecting cut. At a quarter to three lorry loads of men were arriving on the scene, and all went to work to widen the gap so that the fire could not reach the houses. If it breaks through it will run down on to Racecourse Road. Earlier Fires. It was fourteen days ago that a youth set fire to a paddock on the city side of the plantation at Bottle Lake to burn out some scrub. The fire seemed perfectly under control, and though in the past week isolated patches were smouldering no anxiety was felt. The fire started again in earnest about 3 o’clock on Monday, and went through the paddocks till the Bottle Lake road was reached. Help was secured and the fire fighters worked until 10 pm., when it appeared that no spark was left.