Portland Guardian (Vic. : 1876 - 1953), Friday 13 January 1905, page 2


HEAVY LOSSES AT BYADUK. BYADUK, January 11. To.day the fire broke away from the rough country near the Byaduk caves and Mr Tremaine's, and fanned by a strong north wind travelled at a terrific pace. It burned down through Mr. R. W. J. Martin's Milroy estate, where all the grass and a big haystack was con sumed. It went right through Messrs, G. Harman's, A. Harper's, J. Harper's, and C. Falkenberg's properties, Mr A, Harper had a stack of timber ready to build a new house, and every stick of this was destroyed. The fire went through part of Messrs J. Harman's and F. King. horn's properties, and Mr. J. Harper had a haystack destroyed, Mr C, Falkenberg also lost a stack of hay. The fire is close to Mr J Smith's place on the Warrab. kook road, and it can also be seen butn ir.g on Mr A. Turnbull's Fixby farm. The flames also spread on to Mr A. E, Melville's Werrangourt Eastestate, but at so o'clock to.night it was pretty well beaten out there. From the caves to ,Varrabkook is one mass of burnt country, and presents a most desolate appearance, Last night the scene was a lurid one, the fires in the timber country lighting up the place for miles. About 4 o'clock this afternoon there was a slight fall of rain, accompanikd by thunder and lightning, but the downpour was too light to be of any practical value. A change of wind also occurred at this time, and brought up big banks of smoke, and so obscured the light that lamps had to be lit in the dwellings of the township. About 40 men worked strenuously throughout to stem the onrushing fiend, but the wind was so strong that they aere almost powerless. To-night the fire had burnt down towards Mr T. H, Laidlaw,s Breakfast Creek' estate, and had got to the creek, and the fire is burning slowly. MACARTHUR, Jan. 11. The fire has spread down to Lyon's Lane, near Breakfast Creek, where a number of men are working to check it. It is also in the stones at the' back of Mr Stodart's Ardonachio estate,. So far there have been no losses of stock. BRANXHOLME, Jan. II. A fire started at Morven to day, The lightning during a thunderstorm, struck a stump. Little damage has been done so far, and there are' no other fires nea5 at hand, ':.. CASTERToN, Jan 11,. Bush fires were raging around here all day, particularly in the scrub and towards the Mount Gambler road. The thermos meter recorded 103 in the shade, and hot winds provalled all day,