Two fires in the Wenita Forestry block in Kaitangata on
Thursday are being treated as suspicious and are under police
investigation, Department of Conservation deputy principal
rural fire officer Trevor Mitchell confirmed yesterday.
Mr Mitchell spent four hours at the scene of the fires on
Wangaloa Rd, eliminating possible causes.
"We look at how the fire burned, which indicates where it
started, then we look at where it started . . . We have
located the areas of origin."
Mr Mitchell said the investigation had ruled out lightning,
sparks from vehicles and cigarette butts as methods of
ignition.
"We can't establish how they started . . . police are
investigating the cause".
Forty firemen and crews from Wenita Forests and City Forests
were called to the fires just after midnight on Thursday, and
managed to contain the main fire in a 5ha area.
Kaitangata chief fire officer Kevin Sutton said fire crews
would be monitoring the scene last night.
"Fire gets into the roots of trees and it can smoulder away
there for days."
They would continue dampening down hot spots, he said.
rachel.taylor@odt.co.nz
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