BUSH FIRES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9056, 15 February 1908, Page 5

BUSH FIRES.

IN THE AUCKLAND PROVINCE

HEAVY LOSSES

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, February 14. Reports from Oparau, Awaroa and Teranemoa show the bush fires are still raging. The settlers have sustained heavy losses. At Teranemoa the smoke was so dense that children had to stay at the school on Wednesday night. At Oparau Mr M. Mcintosh lost his house and stock, Mr Bell his house and Messrs Froughton Bros, their house. Mr Elliott lost 800 sheep, and Mr Pearson 200 sheep. Disastrous fires are raging in the Waingaroa district, and much loss has been sustained by owners of stock. Several house are in great danger.

DAMAGE IN THE KAWHIA DISTRICT. ESTIMATED AT £200,000. BY TKLEGRAPH —PHESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, February 14. The damage done by the bush .fires in the Kaivhia district is estimated at £200,000. There has been a great loss of stock, Mr Elliott losing 800 sheep in one paddock, Mr Berkham losing 200 and Mr Newton 200. EXTENSIVE FIRES AROUND TAIHAPE. SEVERAL SETTLERS BURNT OUT. TAIHAPE, February 14. ReDorts from Raetihi state that a house and woolshed on Omoku Road were destroyed. The Pipiriki Road is blocked,, and children attending the school had to spend the night in the township.

Mr King's house and mill at Mangauturoa have been destroyed. Mr Hoddle's slaughterhouse on the Pipiriki Road ha& one

All the wires are down, and it is impossible to get details. On the Valley Road Messrs Nairn and Coots, settlers, have been burnt out.

Reports from higher up the road are not to hand, but the damage must be extensive.

The settlers at Pukekatu had perhaps the worst time. The wind blew with hurricane force, and,it. is estimated that the fire travelled half a mile in five minutes. A.number of men in camp were left to assist the wives and families of settlers. In one case a lady and her brother were rescued in the nick of time. Both were almost suffocated. . The Pukakatu School was swept away. It is believed that the settlers further back have fared further back even worse. Settlers who came to Raetihi were unable to return, and while they were detained their homes were destroyed.

THIRTEEN HOMES BURNED

LATER

Thirteen homes have been burned around Raetihi. Most of the properties were uninsured, meaning heavy losses to the settlers. The fires are still burning at Mataroa, attacking a fresh block. Now and then there is a big blaze on the hills adjacent toTaihape, sending up volumes of smoke. Te Kapuka settlers are anxious owing to the proximity of the fires. General alarm is felt throughout the district.

KOPUARANGA

Sparks.from log fires set alight to a shed on Mr J. McGrath's property on Wednesday night. Besides the building some valuable tools were destroyed. During Wednesday night Mr McGrath had to watch the bridge leading to his property as it was in danger of being burned.

FIRE AT PARKVALE

A fire at Parkvale on Thursday afternoon destroyed a quantity of firewood and swept through some standing bush on the properties of Messrs Rayner and Denbee. The settlers in the vicinity had an anxious time in fighting the flames, and were successful in keeping the fire away from their dwelling-houses.