New Zealand Local Weather Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Suezy on January 10, 2013, 05:46:48 PM
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Homes ablaze as fire spreads
JOELLE DALLY AND CAROLINE KING
Last updated 16:46 10/01/2013
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Don Scott
REFUEL: A helicopter takes water from a swimming pool to fight the Shands Rd fire.
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Rural fires across Canterbury Beckenham School library hit by fire Blaze guts popular Akaroa bakery
A home has been destroyed and others have been enguilfed as firefighters struggle to control a massive scrub fire on the outskirts of Christchurch.
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Two houses have been engulfed by flames and a third destroyed, all in Robinsons Rd on the edge of Prebbleton. Others remain at risk.
Fire investigator Graham Davies has arrived at the blaze, estimated at one to two kilometres in size, on the corner of Selwyn and Shands roads.
Smoke can be seen from as far away as the central city.
Davies said homes had been evacuated and firefighters had been forced to retreat because of the danger to themselves.
Police are urging homeowners in the area not to return to their properties.
Inspector Paul Reeves said police were helping residents to evacuate after two large scrub fires were reported about 3pm in Selwyn Rd near Shands Rd.
"The public are advised not to return to their properties until advised," he said.
St John crews were on standby at the scene. Stock are being moved away from the fire.
Davies said the fire was "huge" and was "jumping around" because of the hot nor'west winds.
"There's a lot of smoke and there will be a lot of flames as well."
He said the fire would be the biggest seen in the region for some time.
The blaze is the latest in a series of fires across Canterbury today as the weather creates tinderbox conditions.
The Beckenham School library was seriously damaged in a lunchtime fire, and a popular Akaroa bakery went up in flames overnight.
Two tanker crews are fighting a grass fire in Waterloo Rd in Hornby and have called for backup.
A grass fire has broken out in Lunns Rd, behind Hamilton Jet.
Sockburn firefighters were battling the small blaze.
A road in Ashburton has been closed after gusts left a power pole on a lean.
A Fire Service spokesman said the pole in Kermode St was "leaning over the road".
The incident was reported to the Fire Service about 1.30pm.
The street had been closed as a precaution and would be reopened once the power authority had secured the pole, he said.
MetService meteorologist Daniel Corbett said the front that was bringing the hot, "tinderbox" dry and gusty nor'west winds was "pushing its way through".
He said the winds were easing, compared with this morning, when they were recorded at 89kmh at Christchurch Ingternational Airport.
Mt Hutt had wind gusts of 230kmh in the morning, and Mt Cook 170kmh.
Winds in Christchurch were about 56kmh, Corbett said.
"The winds are easing everywhere. It's still breezy but not as mean and nasty as it was. It's slowly going to improve."
Another front was expected to come through on Saturday, but it would not bring as strong northwest winds, Corbett said.
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Homes burn in Canterbury scrub fire | Stuff.co.nz (http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8163622/Homes-ablaze-as-fire-spreads)
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Thats not good thats my old school and Beckenham School library.
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This is our one worry living out here as have had a couple of good ones since living here. Have checked with OH and he has the pump and fire hoses all at the ready. Been awhile since we have had to check on them. Everything is just so dry here and with such little rain and th wind has been dreadful.
Fingers crossed as only needs some silly person to stop on the verges with a hot exhaust and they are away.
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Two fires 1 km apart is what they also mentioned. Now what does that sound like?
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Good Luck Suezy