Bush Fires.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2022, 26 January 1887, Page 2

Bush Fires.

The residents of Morrison’a Bash have bad a warm time of it for over a week. The dropping of a lighted match on Mr D. Cameron's property caught the dry grass, and the fire fiend started on its frolics across the plain over part of the properties of Messrs (Sinclair, Jones, McMaster, and Barratt. A number of sheep were burned to death on Mr McMaster's land in the fire’s onward course. As may be expected, the fire got into the dry trees, and while it has done good in clearing the ground of a lot of valueless timber, it has destroyed hedges and fencing to the extent of about a hundred chains, and kept the settlers in the vicinity in a state of suspense lest their dwellings should become a prey to the flames. Large fiery sparks were carried long distances from the top of dry trees, which started tires iu all directions, and it was all that the settlers could do to beat them out. The woodman’s axe resounded iu all directions, engaged in felling the dry trees which had caught and were sending messengers of fire on their destructive mission. On Thursday night the fire got into Wakelin’s Bush, facing on Cross’s line, and as it roared and crackled and hissed, and threw out huge tongues of flame and showers of sparks, it caused a feeling of consternation lest it should cross the road to Campbell’s and Barratt’s. The scene even from Greytown was grand in the extreme, the lurid glare iu the sky lighting up the country for miles around, and giving a weird aspect to things in general. On Friday afternoon the proximity of the fire to Mr Cross’s house led to the Fire Brigade being sent for, and these sturdy and willing workers went down at some sacrifice, and did good service. Their efforts set aside all danger as far as Mr Cross’s house was concerned, The smoke, as may be conjectured, was almost suffocating and blinding, and some of the workers with their bloodshot eyes and blackened faces looked objects of pity. On Sunday smoke and fire was observable all along both sides of Cross’s line, and it was apparent that all danger was not over. Many hands were on the watch — some with buckets of water to quench an ignition ol the grass and burning logs, an others with axes, who were watching the dr; trees as they toih fire and threw out the sparks. Fortunately, Monday was a calm day, and iu the absence of any driving power the tiro spent itself in 1 iae places, but it was very persistent iu making its way into fresh places, and there is still a fear that it may spread across the plain towards Greytown and towards I’apawai. Some of the settlers at Moioa talked or terming a Brigade among themselves, and asking that the Greytown lire engine ho lent daring the day to keep iu check the spread of the devouring element, with the proviso U at the engine be brought buck to Greytown iu the evening to be ready iu case of fire in Greytown. There is no domd, if a settler’s house was in danger a few wiling hands with the eugino would keep back the fire. But it is to be hoped that there will be no need now for such a provision. Wo much grass has been destroyed through the lire in Moroa that the cattle and horses have little or no feed, and some of the settlers are talkiug about disposing of their surplus stock.

We learu that the of Mr Hnckell and Mr Selman, of Morrison's Bush, had a narrow escape some days ago, but thanks to the help of willing neighbors the lire was checked.