Clean-up begins after forest fire
THREATENED: Simone and Mark Zillwood with their four-month-old baby Tessa. The fire started about 10.15pm on Tuesday next to their driveway and came within about 200 metres of their house.
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A family evacuated Tuesday night, as a vicious blaze ripped through a forestry block near Canvastown, returned home yesterday to find their house full of ash and stinking of smoke.
Residents of two homes west of Canvastown and about 40 residents on Te Hora Pa Rd were woken abruptly by authorities late Tuesday night and told to leave. Many found refuge at the Te Hora Marae, but were allowed to return home about 7am yesterday.
Intense flames got within about 30 metres of Aryal and Sarah Monk's family home. Their two children were evacuated to their grandparent's house, while the couple stayed at the property with firefighters, who stayed throughout the night to protect the house.
Mr Monk said he was a bit nervous, but fire crews were "legendary".
"They've done a really good job. They were really on the ball."
He said flames leapt up to 40m into the air as it raged through nearby forestry.
"It was pretty spectacular and moving bloody fast."
A little further west up State Highway 6, Mark and Simone Zillwood and their five children were evacuated shortly after the blaze started next to their long gravel driveway.
Within five minutes of hearing about the fire, it was out of control, said Mr Zillwood.
Flames came within about 200m of their property.
Mrs Zillwood said the couple's main concern was their dairy cows, but they had emerged unscathed.
On returning home yesterday morning the couple were greeted by layers of ash in their bedrooms and bathroom.
"It stinks terribly, it's disgusting."
- The Marlborough Express
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