AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES

ILLAWARRA DISTRICT’S BLACK SATURDAY HOMES AND FARM LANDS DESTROYED WOLLONGONG (N.S.W.), Jan. 16 January 14 wjll go down in Illawarra's history as Black Saturday Bushfires swept lhe ranges, farm lands were burnt out, thousands of volunteers worked heroically under a blanket of heat to save houses and property, livestock were burnt alive, and people collapsed in the heat. At 3 p.m. the temperature at Wollongong climbed to a new record of 116 degrees in the shade. The humidity was 93 per cent. It is estimated that damage to properly along the South Coast exceeded £20.000. West Dapto, Marshall Mount and Kangaroo Valley were in greatest danger. Cars and trucks loaded with volunteers raced from house to house over rough bush tracks to save property. Fire reached the pit mouth at Wongawilli colliery, and herculean efforts were made to save the mine and neaiby houses. Women and children toiled alongside the men, and kept up a supply of water for drinking and for wetting tiie bags used as fire beaters. Swept Over Mountains Damage to buildings was light considering the ferocity of the fires as they swept over the mountains. Radio messages over station 2WL were responded to by car and truck owners, and hundreds of men, including labourers, clerks, unionists, and unemployed.

From one boarding house at Port Kembla 20 out of 20 men responded, using three private cars. Bushfires’ Toll Many square miles of grasslands, sheds, cowbyils, and miles of fencing were burned. Scores of homes were saved by the sterling work of owners and volunteers. A strong southerly at 5 p.m. drove the fires back and was considered the saving of Wongawilli. “If the lire had gone through Wongawilli nothing could have been done to save Dapto but a change in the wind,” said Constable Smail, of Dapto, who was on the lirefront ail day. By mid-day, few people were left al Dapto show, and the rest of lhe programme was postponed until January 30. Dapto was a hive of activity. Constable Small organised the first volunteers lor West Dapto. Captain McPaul directed Dapto fire brigade. Sergeant Murphy, from Wooliongong, was busy at Dapto all day directing hundreds of volunteers to various parts of the district. Volunteers cid not leave Wongawilli and other key centres of the fire until 10 p.m. Arrangements were made for men to stand by all night, and for others to be ready for a call. The heat put many phones out of use and people had to walk miles in some cases to get a phone that was in order to summon assistance.

At Oak Flats, near Albion Park, a number of shacks were burnt, 'inc owners have not yet been located. Damage here was estimated at £lOOO. South of Dapto the fire was worst in the Calderwood district, where it came over the mountain. It was within a few yards of Mr. Frank Downes’ farmhouse. The cattle and horses were let loose on the road, and women and children removed to safe areas. As fire fighters fought to save Downes' house, the flames raced through the farm and reached Mr. A. Bowley s house, which also was narrowly saved. But for the efforts of about 400 volunteers, the homes of Messrs. H. Pearson, W. Pearson, A. Watt and Miss Jones would have been destroyed. Mr. H. Beattie, secretary of Dapto show, left the showground and raced

to his home at Marshall Mount Io remove furniture to the safety of the school playground. The fire, however, was kept away. A thick smoke veiled lhe distrk-l and ashes floated through the an, blown from the burning area. Super-, intendent Collings, of the Metropoli- • tan police, sent a squad of 30 Io assist in the fire fighting, but by the time; they arrived the wind had changed. and danger had passed. Village Wiped Out At Kangaroo Valley fire wiped out | the small village of Yalwal. Early in I the evening it was cut off from both ; Novvra and Berry, but a party ol police, under Inspector Roser and| Sergt. Breeze, eventually got through I from the Berry side. At 10.30 a.m. fire broke out in scrub I near Excelsior colliery and threat-! ened several homes. Thirroul fire bri-l gade, under Captain Roberts, was called and with volunteers saved th homes after a hard fight. Fires wetc that close to houses that fences weir burned. After the brigade returned to its station it was called out again this time to unemployed huts at the back of Austinmer. Firemen found a big area of scrub arid bush blazing and a large number of huts threatened. Furniture had been shifted from many homes to places of safety. Although it seemed certain that many of the places would be swept away, only one was burnt. The brigade remained on duty until after 10 p.m. While a burial service was taking place in Bulli cemetery the Bulli brigade was called to a big grass fire. The volunteers beat the flames out while the service continued. An opossum, with a young one in its pouch, gasping for breath, came down from a tree and stood under a dripping tap at the home of Constable Keys, at Bulli. Flames blazed fiercely at the shaft head of Old Bull! mine in the Illawarra ranges, and also near the pit head on Bulli Hill. The fire bigade kept the flames under control.