FIRE HAZARD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 39, 30 January 1946, Page 5

FIRE HAZARD

ADVICE TO RESIDENTS

EXTRAORDINARY CAUTION

NEEDED

Residents are doubtless well aware of the serious risk undertaken in the

lighting of fires out of doefs at the present time. In the back country this risk is eA’en and if a lire is absolutely necessary, the utmost precautions should he taken to ensure that it is Avatched and kept under control the Avhole time. In the back country at present sporadic fires are breaking out in the most unexpected places. This Avas instanced, recently when some of the employees of the Lands Department on the Onepu block were watching a fire sweeping doAvn the \ T allcy on the opposite side of the river. They Avere very astonished to find that whilst they had been so engaged, another fire had in the meantime broken out on their own

property. A certain percentage of these tires are spontaneous, but the majority are caused through carelessness. AH Government officers concerned arc on the lookout continually for the smallest sign of a blaze;, whilst all

available men ip the Forestry Department are being held in readiness to combat outbreaks.

Fires such as these, AAdiich are occurring every clay, burn off every scrap of vegetation right to the. ground, and the hills, thus denuded are casil} 7 subject to erosion, at the

first heavy rain. Untold damage can in this manner be caused if it is al>loAved to remain unchecked. Areas thus burnt off must be replanted, and the money required to do so, can come only from the public

purse. In the Whakatane Borough, and at Ohope, tlie danger of fires in any but specially constructed fire places cannot be over emphasised. This applies particularly to Ohope, Avhere with so many campers in temporary residence, the temptation to light fires Avherever it is convenient is much greater. There are one hundred and thirty acres of pohu-t tukawas and native shrubs at the beach which must be preserved at all cfists to say nothing of the reserves further hack.

Hillcrest must he guarded closely against an outbreak which could well prove disastrous. The several grass' lires which occurred on the hill last year and the two which have this year broken out on the flat arc evidence.of the facility with which a fire can start and grow till it may become entirely out of control.

Last year the Borough Council introduced a special by-law, making it necessary for a permit to be obtained before a fire could be lit out of doors within the Borough. With good reason, this will he doubly enforced from now on, and it is en-t cumbont on citizens to co-operate with the authorities in an endeavour to preserve our town and countryside from the ravages of fire.