BIG PEAT FIRE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 894, 11 February 1930, Page 18

BIG PEAT FIRE

TWELVE SQUARE MILES COVERED BURNING NEARLY A WEEK From Ojt Oxen Correspondent r NGATEA, Monday*. A. fire in the deep peat between vsg&tea and Kaihere, which commenced on Wednesday last, spread over 12 square milesi and was carried by a whirlwind over a 40 -foot canal and 120 feet of clay bank to an area in which there is from 1,200 to 1,400 acres of millable flax. Between 40 and 50 men, including relief workers from tho Torehape eamp, flaxmill hands, employees of the Drainage Department and setaers. have been lighting the lire since b riday, when it became dangerous by crossing the canal. Miles of flrenreak have been dug and burned and he area is being patrolled night and All drains have been dammed io flood* the area. jg* Sunday night it was considered witnin control unless one of the numerous vrhirlwinds set the swamp anre beyond the fire-breaks. Some of thetie whirlwinds lift clumps of burning peat the size of a man’s head hundreds of feet in the air, and scatter rhem far and wide. The wind is still iight and variable, ideal for the formation of whirlwinds. The area burned is north of the Lorahape-Puhanga Road, on almost a idur-mile front and, unless flax is destroyed, the fire will do good, as the «'ountry has been drained and will now produce a thick growth of Yorkshire fog. The whole country has been enveloped in dense smoke from this and small fires in various parts, particularly south of Kerepeehi. where another and digger area has been burning slow:y for some weeks. This fire is not likely to do any damage, for the Lands Drainage Department- lias men watching to isolate any flax areas A’hich are endangered-.