BRIGADES KEPT BUSY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 267, 1 February 1928, Page 15

BRIGADES KEPT BUSY

MANY FIRES IN JANUARY DRY WEATHER BLAMED Over 250 calls were received by the city and suburban fire brigades during January, about eighty per cent, of these being to grass fires. The figures show an increase in every case except that of Takapuna. The long period of dry weather is held responsible for the numerous small outbreaks. During last month 103 calls were received by the City Fire Brigade, 57 of these being to gorse or rubbish fires and 26 to buildings. A further nine calls received were from outside tlieir districts. The remainer were false alarms. The city district includes Parnell, Ponsonby, Kemuera. and Point Chevalier, at each of which places an engine is stationed. Of tile 33 alarms received by the Mount Albert brigade 29, were to grass fires. Three fires were in houses and the remaining one was a false alarm. Twenty-four calls in one month was the record put up by the Onehunga brigade last month, all calls, with the exception of three fafee alarms, being to grass fires.

The Mount Eden brigade was summoned 23 .times, 21 of the calls being to grass or gorse fires and two to buildings. Eleven of the 12 alarms given in the Takapuna district were to fires in grass or scrub, only one being to a building. This figure is smaller than in past years when cinders from the steam trams caused many small fires on the side of the line. Mount Roskill brigade has been formed only since April last. In 1927 it was called to five fires but this year it has attended to 12 already, all grass fires. . _ Devonport*had 10 fires during' January, nine being in dry grass and the other in a house. This is the largest number received during one month. Eight of the 10 calls received by the Ellerslie *brigade were to grass or gorse fires. , . At Newmarket alone was the numbei of grass fires smaller than those in buildings. Three only out of nine calls were to fires in grass. _