DISASTROUS BUSH FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 227, 13 February 1913, Page 8

DISASTROUS BUSH FIRES.

| Hia'TLKRS ROUSES DESTROYED. I Per Press .Association. I Danuevirke, Last Night. J Tin- high winil raging last night and to-day fanned the busli fires into aetivJ ity, and the town and district arc enveloped in thick smoke. The settlers at I the Kumeti block, near Daimevirke, are I having ill) anxious time. Unless the wind I drops extensive damage is probable. The \ residence of a settler named Young' has •been destroyed. Rasmtissen's homestead is reported to have been burned. Other settlers are fighting hard to save their places. The lires are still raging, but rain is threatening. J SERIOUS outbreak: IN POVERTY BAY. FIGHTING THE FLAMES. HOMESTEADS THREATENED. i | Gisborne, Last Night. [ The settlers iii the Mangatu country ■ are experiencing a most anxious time. i Grass and scrub fires have been burning . for the past four or five days, and fan- ; ned by the recent heavy winds these '. have got beyond control, with the re- [ suit that about 14 miles of country was reported to be ablaze this morning. Some • of the settlers have been battling with the flames continuously without sleep for the past two or three days, several of the homesteads being threatened. Mr. TurnbulPs place is reported to be in the most critical situation, the fire having come up from the back, and with . the change of wind has surrounded the [ homestead. At Whatatuhi to-day the atmosphere . was so thickly charged with smoke that . it was impossible to see much more than [ 100 yards, and it was impossible to ascer- | tain the full extent of the damage. As ' far as could 'be learned the fire was burning on Okaihau (Messrs. Pettie, Barry and Co.), Waitangiroa (Wi Pere Trust), Aotearoa (Messrs. Kells and Turnbull). and Wairere (Mr. H. D. Buchanan). The conflagration is now confined to grass alone, but fanned by the heavy westerly gale it has swept I across the country taking fences and anvthing in its path. It is not known at this stage what r J stock losses have occurred. The wind is , still blowing hard at intervals and rain . is urgently required to extinguish the , flames.

This afternoon Gisbome streets were enveloped in thick pungent smoke, which smarted the eyes and tickled the throat, while traffic at a distance of 100 yards was practically obscured, and' the sun hung like a great reef" ball. In the early morning the grassy slopes of Kaiti Hill, adjacent to the town, caught fire, and a strenuous time was spent in battling with the flames, which appeared at one time as if they would threaten the Kaiti freezing works at the foot of the hill. The fire originated in a tent occupied by Messrs. Noal and Duncan ,and' the snarks set fire to the dry ■grass of the hillside. The slaughtermen and others at the Kaiti works abandoned their knives and hooks for wet sacks, and accomplished good work. Meantime the mam* parties who were camped on the beach took the alarm, and manv ouicklv demolished tjieir temporary houses and all available carts were called on. and soon set out in procession to'Hiwards with loads of furniture. The fire was ultimately suppressed about 4 p.m.