DESTRUCTIVE BUSHFIRE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 84, 6 November 1939, Page 5

DESTRUCTIVE BUSHFIRE

4 ' LARGE AREA SWEPT * ' \ T. ; . i " OUTBREAK AT OHOPE Vh J ■ t ALARM OF RESIDENTS y Assisted by a light southerly >breeze, and with the brush and un--dergrowth as dry as tinder, a lire which started at the foot of the northern cliff face burned fiercely throughout the afternoon and evening, and though so-newhat under eon trol by 9 p.m. continued in several places to blaze throughout the night. The rapidity of its spread and the great masses of flame and smoke it : gave off caused considerable alarm r amongst residents of the northern • end who viewed the lire with some apprehension as the flames enveloped the taller trees and pohutukawas that decorate the slope. Higher up, • on the land that borders the, property now farmed by the Native land : scheme it raced through ti-tree and bracken with an intensity that was :little short of astounding. It was rstill blazing in isolated patches this morning as we go to press.

Boys Playing With Fireworks. The outbreak was caused by a .couple of young boys who, unknown to their parents lit a small fire in the rear of their home, for the purpose of setting off a few fireworks. Neglecting the fire for a few minutes, according to their own story, •they were surprised to find on their i-eturn that it had spread to the near "by bushes. .Assistance was hastily summoned but the flames spread up Ahe slope in a few minutes and were ".licking the higher reaches beforeV -the first beaters arrived. Large Gang Assembles. A gang of approximately twenty" -men attempted to control the fire, "but were forced to concentrate their ■efforts on beating out the lower flames in order to stop it spreading towards the residences which line the flat backing or. to the cliff. Th<? ■Southern line was soon under control, and by 4 p.m. with the exception of the burn on the lip of the •cliff all appeared to be subdued. Most of the workers thereupon retired, but scarcely had they done so when the fire started on a fresh face :in the midst of some flax bushes.

Fought by Three Men

"Three men then turned their efforts towards the saving of the bush 'On the northern side where the '.flames were sweeping all before them and threatening the houses Trees were felled and the fire beaten with shovels and switches with--out a break till 5.30. The steep nature of the country added to the difficulties with which they had to contend and show T ers of burning leaves -set new fires burning in dozens of places which had already been clear ed. In many places it was only possible to beat the flames by hanging from trees with one hand,, while in • others loosened rocks displaced from the above fire fell in heavy showers.

Into the Night,

The treacherous nature of the fire made it impossible to tell where the next outbreak would occur, and periodically through the night the beach was lit up by the glare of a new section of fire. There were few persons who slept in the vicinity while there were others who kept a watch on the fire throughout the night. One or two continued on duty • on and off all the time but fortunate ly the worst had passed and by morning it was obvious the fire on the main had burnt itself out. LOSS TO OHOPE GREATER PROTECTION NECESSARY The continual loss hy fire of the beautiful natural bush Avhich covers the cliff front of Ohope Beach is-a * matter which should be taken seri- . ously in hand by the authorities. To . date the new season, has seen no less than three lires on the fore- : shore. In time there will be little . or nothing left of the native vegetation which up to the present has , given the resort so much of its . unique charm antl beauty. Dozens of sections, are just a mass *of dry grass, presenting an absolutely ideal bed for a conflagration, • should a careless match or cigarette but be dropped there. There is an urgent need for active fire protection ancl after yesterday's outbreak there should be ho need to empha.rrsise this. ;