Forest Fire Hazards May Increase During Summer Months

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 November 1948, Page 4

Forest Fire Hazards May Increase During Summer Months

WELLINGTON, Nov. 25 (P.A.) —Though a fairly wet spring was experienced in most parts of New Zealand means tl’.at the forest lire danger is not yet acute, increased growth resulting from moist conditions will make a greater lire hazard when it dries out later in the summer. An officer of the State Forest Service stated this today when discussing the outlook for the coming summer. Canterbury, and in the early spring Southland, had not had the same wet conditions as other parts of the country, he said. Conditions had got towards the danger line in the Rotorua district, between November 8 and 12, but further rain had brought re lief. Since last summer there had been a gradual improvement, in the service for detecting, preventing and lighting forest fires. In the early spring two groups of officers from stations in all parts of New Zealand had met at Rotorua for courses of instruction lasting a fortnight. These included a good deal of Held work in the use ol the latest methods and appliances. Later, these officers held courses in their own districts, passing on to junior local officers the knowledge gained at Rotorua.

The installation of radio equipment, which had been completed in the Auckland and Rotorua districts, was being proceeded with. It should be complete in Canterbury within a few weeks. Other districts would be dealt with as quickly as possible. Radio was vital to the fire service where telephones were nut out of action, or were not available. It made it possible for forest rangers at the scene of the fire to keep in touch with observers in aircraft, and for advanced headquarters to be set up. It. also meant that lire and weather data from the most remote stations throughout the country could be quickly sent to Wellington. When radio installations were comnlete, headquarters would have a complete picture of fire and weather conditions throughout New Zealand. Fire-lighting equipment had been built up this year with additional portable back-nack pumps. There are now 30 of these in various parts of the country and water-carrying vehicles ip other directions. There have also been improvement and standardisation of equipment and ■training methods.