Bush Fires

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 97, 26 January 1886, Page 2

Bush Fires

On Sunday last the residents along :.'.: the railway line between -North and Fort streets were somewhat alarmed for the safety of their properties, i TheY . wind caused the log fires to ignite th« ..-.- flax and grass- in SherwiiT sfcreet, which soon spread to the adjoining paddocks, and as a breeze was blowing on the said properties there was at -.. one time every appearance of their:, being in danger. About a dozen .of the residents were soon on the spo^ ' and armed with sacks, bunches" of scrub, &c, prepared themselves for doing battle with the devouring element. Fortunately the wind somewhat abated so that any further spread of the flames were soon prevented/ As it was, however, a considerable portion of fencing and grass on the properties of Messrs Lowers; Thompson, and others was destroyed. ' Twenty volunteers went down on Saturday last by the evening train from Feilding to Taonui, in order to render assistance to Mr Ad§ett in preserving: his mill and! adjacenf: houses from the advances of the bush, fire. Such conduct is beyond praise^ and is not only creditable to the young men themselves, but is an evidence of the esteem in which Mr Adsett is held in Feilding. '-^«">' '" % '-H^- .. ' , Yesterday the town was considerably exbrcised over the various rumors of disaster from bush fires on the, - Kimbolton road, in the Kiwitea, ai}d Wanganui Harbor Board: Block. Mason's bush in the Harbor Board Block, and some of Bartholomew's timber bush has been destroyed, Th« ' smoke was so thick that several families were compelled to leave their house* to avoid suffocation and tike refuge with their friends whose residences were beyond the circle of 'th© fire. A large quantity of fencing has. ; been burned, especially in those places . , where the dry grass afforded a ready means for the fires to be communicated from point to point. Several settlers will be heavy losers in this item alone. Mr Glacken's house on the Kirn.7 bolton road was in great danger as it is built on the very edge of theforesf. The strenuous efforts of. the, proprie^: j . and some of his neighbors prevented the flames igniting the woodwork of the j ■- house by continued douches of watpr. '■;-'

. [PKB UNITED SEESS ASSOCIATION.] - : ' New PiiYMOUTH, January 2s>, ; [■:':'" Bush fires are again breaking pufcDanahay's house it^^ Waipuku w^'ilii,' »reat danger this evening, alsoßlyde'a an the Durham Koad, near Ghreat care is neoessary to prevent the railway bridges being destroyed^ and men were up all night watching $hem.