SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1940, Page 4

SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD

DRY GRASS IN BOROUGH. CO-OPERATION OF PROPERTY OWNERS SOUGHT. The co-operation of property owners is sought by Mr T. B. Clark, Superintendent of the Masterton Fire Brigade, in the removal of dry grass from the vicinity of dwellings and other buildings in the borough. Mr Clark said it was obvious that long grass in the vicinity of buildings became a serious fire hazard in diy weather. He had recently made an inspection of different areas of the town and he had found that large quantities of grass required cutting. Although there was a by-law dealing with this nuisance, the administration of which was carried out by the fire brigade, Mr Clark said he would be very pleased to have the voluntary co-operation of property owners to cut the grass and so remove the possibility of an outbreak of fire. Mr Clark pointed out that if the grass were cut before it became dry it was a much easier task to carry out and at the same time, the new growth would check any spread of fire. It was necessary after cutting, of course, to remove the grass, as it remained very inflammable. It was most desirable to eliminate the chances of the brigade, being called out to a grass fire, as while it was so engaged, a call might come to a fire in a building. Moreover, grass fires were liable to involve a great quantity of inflammable material and to endanger buildings as well.