MEASURES TO DEAL WITH FIRES

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5297, 9 January 1947, Page 3

MEASURES TO DEAL WITH FIRES

PLAN'S CO-ORDINATED ALL PARTIES TO CONTRIBUTE TO CENTRAL FUND 'Measures to co-ordinate all firedghting facilities in clealing With outbreaks of scruh 01* forest fires in the Putaruru-Taupo- Whakatane district were completed at the third meeting of the Central Fire Authority C'ommittee which was held at Kaingaroa Forest Headquarters this week. There were present at the meeting: Messrs. F. J. Per hani (chahlma'n), W. S. Anderson and R. Pithie (Whakatane Paper Mills), V. T. Fail (Afforestation Proprietary Ltd.), R. B. Moorhouse and R. Buckett (N.Z. Forest Products Ltd.), A. N. Sexton, L. H. Bailey, J. W. ?yme (State Forest Service). The Central Fire Authority Committee, which was formed at the beginning of the present fire season, represents a co-operative scheme involving the State Forest Service. Afforestation companies and other interested parties to deal with forest and scrub fires duririg the present fire season. All parties will contribute to a central fund which will be used to meet the cost of fighting any fires which may be a nienace to the native and exotic forests in the district. The area has been divided into zones of responsibility, and tires in these zones will, if possible, be dealt with by the appropriate party or, if assistance is required, it will be sent 'by the Central Fire Authority.

The Director of Forestiy (Mr. A. R. Entrican, who addressed the meetting, stressecl the need for co-opera-tion if a repetition of last year's disaster was to he avoided. Mr. Entrican explained that Mr. A. N. Sexton j (State Forest Service) was preparing j data on the rate of spread of fire in I various types of vegetation, ancl | asked all present to assist him as much as possible since such information could be put to effective use. Arrangements have been made for the reporting of fires by telephone or radio to Kaingaroa Forest Headquarters, which will be the centre of communieations. In addition to the radio stations already established,' new stations will be set up at Taupo and in the Whakatane Paper Mills and N.Z. Forest Products areas. Provisiou has1 also been made for the equipping of all State Forest Service and private aft'orestation companies with modern fire-fighting equipment. Schedules of manpower and equipment available for Lire fighting have also been prepared. Three R.N.Z.A.F. planes operating from the Rotorua aerodrome are being used for spotting and reporting fires. These planes maintain radio contact with Kaingaroa headquarters, with lookout stations, and ground parcies equipped with 1X10110. Information gained by the forest officer who acts as observer in the plane can be passed 011 immediately to those on the ground. Members of the Central Fire Authority Committee inspected the 1 radio equipment at the State Forest Service control sation, ZLGA, which transmits fire hazard readings twice daily to all forest stations. They were also given a demonstration of the methods used in determining the exact location of fires. Members also inspected the type of portable radio set used by field parties and frcm their position by the roadside in Kaingaroa Forest they were able to exchange verbal niessages with lookout stations 35 -miles> distant.