Devastating fire recalled

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 39, 20 March 1984, Page 1

Devastating fire recalled

Almost exactly sixty six years ago at this time Waimarino residents were fighting a major fire which raged for days throughout the district from Horopito to Karioi destroying sawmills and dwellings as well as hundreds of acres of bush and many stock. Known as the Raetihi bushfire or the St Patrick's Day fire (because it happened on 17 March 1918) it affected the entire Waimarino area including the bush townships of Horopito, Ohakune, Raetihi, Rangataua and Karioi. Ninety-eight year old Raetihi resident, Mrs Ruby Parker, who was 32 at the

time and had four children remembers the fire well. The sawmill, where her husband 'Paddy' Parker worked, was one of nine mills destroyed and they lost, as did many other families, all their personal possessions including clothes, furniture and family mementos such as letters and photograph albums. They escaped only with the clothes they were wearing. Only one family possession remains to this day ... a large blue and white china platter which miraculously survived the blaze. Mrs Parker keeps it as a reminder of that sad and torrid time 66 years ago.