BUSH FIRES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 13

BUSH FIRES

MENACE TO FOREST LANDS

DANGERS OF DRY WEATHER

NEED FOR WATCHFULNESS AND CARE.

Continuous dry weather, pleasant as it is usually considered by city residents, has its special menace to bush country. During the past few weeks there have been a succession of fires, among the scattered patches of bush in the vicinity of Wellington, but fortunately no great damage has been-, reported. In most cases the fires wer« started with the object of clearing the lower reaches of the hillsides' of scrub which was not by any means beautiful, nor useful, except perhaps as a slight shelter for sheep. Last week it was possible to see dozens of little patches ot. smoke denoting the , destruction of isolated patches around the shores of Port Nicholson. Such fires do little damage, and are usually confined to limited area. This is not always the case however. In the middle of last week a fire was started on the lower slopes of the hills at the southern end of Gollan's Valley, its purpose being the destruction of some manuka scrub which was hampering the growth of grass on undulating grazing land. Started in a small way, the fire looked to be fulfilling it 3 objective. • But fate and a high northerly wind took a hand in the game, and before the owner of the acres involved realised tho danger the hillside^ to the crest wa3 a blazing inferno, impossible of approach and a distinct menace to bush of much greater scenic value. Fortunately a couple of days later fate again intervened, and almost tropical rain descended upon the flames, extinguishing what might have proved the beginning of a disaster to the province. Wellington is particularly lucky in its forest reserves, which are easy of access to city residents. At the back of Day's Bay, in fact right down to the Pavilion, there is some of the most beautiful bush land to be seen anywhere in the Dominion, bush which contains quite a good percentage of big trees. Dropping down at the back of tho ridge, a, bush-clad valley runs along at the back of Eastbourne, from which it is reached by means of a hillside track at the top of Matipo street, continuing alonj to the head of Gollan's Valley. From here it takes a zig-zag course right over the hills to the Orongorongo riverbed, thence along the steep sides of the range of which Mount Matthews is the principal peak only to be • stopped by the lake which marks the commencement of the Wairarapa Plains. In such sourroundings a fire would find ready fuel, dry as tinder, and damage would be done, in a few hours which only centuries could remedy. The Forestry Department which controls the larger tract, including the popular Orongorongo tramping ground, and tho Eastbourne .Domain Board, which/has under its control the smaller area in direct touch withlthe East Harbour bays, has continually to be on the gui vive to prevent fires from spreading. On two occasions recently the newly formed Eastbourne Fire Brigade has performed sterling services in extinguishing incipient fires on the hillsides facing the harbour at Windy Point and at the southern extremity of Eastbourne. The efforte of the brigade are, of course, limited to the borough in which it was formed primarily for the protection of house property, and anything like a large fire in the bush at the other side of the hill would be completely beyond its power to extinguish. For some time the need for greater care in this bush country has been brought' before the authorities, but so far a means of safety has not been evolved. It has been suggested that the list of honorary rangers should be increased with particular instruction as to fire prevention.- This would doubtless prove a decided advantage in many ways, particularly in - regard to watching the doings of the hundreds of trampers who do not always realise that apart from the destruction of the bush itself their careless handling, of. fire is both risking their own lives as well as tha lives of Hundreds of others who at holiday time are more than likely to b" in the path of anything like a destructive blaze. • ' The latest suggestion, and perhaps the most acceptable, is the cutting of suitable fire-lines,-first at the back of the houses _which fringe the hills, at Eastbourne and Day's Bay, and again at regular intervals through the bush-clad nilis Ih e Oroiigorongq River is probably suftciently wide to stop anything except.the most destructive of fires but there are several other localities which require attention, notably the Middle Kidge, running north and south. ' The greatest danger is in the vicinity. of the houses at Eastbourne and Day's Bay most of which ■ are occupied during the hot summer days by people who may be termed "birds 'of passage." They are there for a week or two, and are not always as careful as they should be Their interests are of the city,, arid they do not perhaps realise the far-reaching effects of even a small fire on hillsides covered at this time of the year with dry grass and short manuka scrub _ The prevention of fire in these lands is not only a duty of residents ,in the east harbour suburbs, but has a national aspect in which every resident of Wellington should be interested. Such lands arean asset to. the city they fringe, providing a ready means of exercise for the youth of the district, as' well asp wandering ground in which the natureIqver may find constant interest and pleasure. Such lands deserve the ereat--est protection possible.