Christchurch
blaze damages two homes
4 February, 2015
Two
houses have damaged by a large fire raging to the west of
Christchurch this afternoon.
Fire
Service spokesperson Dave Stackhouse said up to 40 homes near the
blaze, which started on Pound Road, near Yaldhurst on the outskirts
of Christchurch, had been evacuated.
Winds of up to 125km had fanned the flames, which had covered 25-30 hectares.
Police
had evacuated houses in Christchurch's Matangi Street and Kaniere
Avenue, as well as Hornby Primary School
Schools
in the area were advised and had invoked their own emergency
procedures.
Children
at Gilberthorpe School, on the corner of Buchanans Road and
Gilberthorpes Road, had to get out of their swimming pool so water in
it could be used to fight the blaze.
Diversions
were in place on Pound Road, Buchanans Road, Gilberthorpes Road and
Roberts Road, the spokesperson said.
Smoldering fields west of Christchurch.
Photo: RNZ
The
public should find alternative routes around the area where possible
and be patient if caught in traffic, the spokesperson said.
A
second fire was burning at Cust, between Rangiora and Oxford, and
surrounded a house at one point but did not reach it.
That
blaze had now been brought under control and fire crews were mopping
up while traffic was diverted along Cust Road.
Emergency services at the scene of the blaze in Chrstchurch.
Photo: RNZ
MetService
meteorologist Karl Loots said recent warm temperatures and gale force
winds had created ideal conditions for the blazes.
"Obviously
this is ideal conditions for these fires to spread. The good news is,
though, that these winds are expected to be easing from now and into
this evening," he said.
"We're
expecting it (to drop) right down to under 10kmh."
Power
company Orion reported a number of outages in Canterbury, with
hundreds of customers affected.
Neighbours in Roberts Road, Christchurch, where two homes have been damaged by a blaze comfort each other at the cordon at the end of their street.
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