Charges could follow Mid-Canterbury fires

A series of blazes that stretched the Canterbury fire service yesterday could result in charges against farmers.

Principal rural fire officer Don Geddes said some of the fires were post-harvest stubble burnings that got out of control in the windy conditions.

The farmers responsible would face prosecution, he told The Press newspaper.

He said the message was not getting through despite publicity about the dangers of lighting stubble fires in windy conditions.

Fire authorities would show no tolerance -- their sympathy was at an end, Mr Geddes said.

Scrub fires flared throughout mid-Canterbury from 2pm, including blazes at Pleasant Point, 19km northwest of Timaru; Methven; Okuku near Rangiora; Kerrytown north of Timaru, at Leeston and at Southbridge, south of Christchurch.

Southern Fire Communications shift manager Brian Sharpe said earlier the scrub fires were probably not lit deliberately.

"We've had very cold weather in the last two days. The weather has now turned and we're getting blustery north west winds and it appears that a lot of farmers are burning off stubble weed -- lot are burnoffs getting out of control or previous rubbish fires that have flared up again."

Two houses near one fire at Winchmore, 11km northwest of Ashburton, had to be evacuated, but the blaze was stopped before it reached the properties.

- NZPA