GREAT TAUPO SCRUB FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 23, 27 January 1934, Page 15

GREAT TAUPO SCRUB FIRE

The scrub and tea-tree fire, that started last week on the Taupo Koad and travelled 16 miles through dry gullies until it reached Te Wairoa and Lake i Tarawera, appears' to be; now under control, states a Botorua correspondont writing on Wednesday. The rfire has reached the scenic reserve running parallel with (jJreeri Like Boadj half-way across the head of the lake.. The reserve is situated mostly on a hill face running in the vicinity of Mr. Evans's property at Okareka. In this area is one of the mpst beautiful scfjnic spots in the district, with winding roads alongside the Green and Blue Lakes, with a. background of native1 bush on one side, and plantations stretching for many miles across country on the other. The/'flre crept over, a high hill at the . : back of Mr. E.: Smith's tea rooms on Saturday nighty and on' Sunday night much anxiety was felt as it swept towards his property. It then travelled in an easterly, direction from Te Wairoa Waterfalls along the cliff face until it reached Lake Tarawera. A rare spectacle, was presented on Sunday night, when the whole of the point opposite the landing wharf was alight to the water's edge, the fire being reflected in the water.: By Monday the fire- had -swept through a flat of some 500 acres near the lake, i Travelling in a westerly direction vabout half a mile from the lake it crossed the road and, moving up a steep gully, it ran along the- hill, surrounding a house at Te Mv; whic.h was only saved through the efforts of the settlers working well into, the night. The outbreak then worked along a hill through the Te Wairoa Valley unjil it reached a lower level, and broko 'out in several places on the roadside about half a mile from tho buriod village. A party from the Forestry Department had the fire well under control on Tuesday evening at 8.30, but during the night it broke out again and travelled into the scenic reserve and to the roadside at Green Lake. The distance covered by the fire is over 20 miles, over a circuitous course. .-, ' ■