Real Climate Records

Sydney, October 29. —

Although all bushfires on near State forests are under control, the position will remain serious until rain is received, the N.S.W. Commissioner for Forests (Mr. . L. S Hudson) said today.

He said at a minimum 50,000 acres of native hardwoods at all stages of growth from seedlings to fully matured trees, had been damaged or destroyed in the recent bushfires in State forests. The greatest loss was in young trees of up to 15 and 20 years of age.

FIREBUG ?

State forestry officials at Kendall, North Coast, said today they believed a firebug was responsible for the bushfire that today threatened Queens Lake State forest.

District Forester W. U. Scott said he would ask that a detective from the Sydney C.I.B. be sent to the area.

Queens Lake forest is reputed to contain some of the best hardwood  in N.S.W.

Meanwhile, with a continuation of hot, dry weather throughout the State, more bushfires have broken out.

The most serious appear to be in thick scrub in the Kuring Gai Chase trust area.

Outbreaks were reported from the Blue Mountains near Mt Victoria. Although firefighters in this area gained control and the danger is slight, bushfire danger in Sydney today was high.

The city experienced its hottest day for seven months, the reading at 2.55 p.m. being 89.9 degrees, the highest since March 6, when the temperature reached 100.2 degrees.

The Weather Bureau said tonight the bushfire danger in northern N.S.W. would remain for some time because no rain was expected.

A haze of smoke covered much of the State coastline today down to the western Tasman Sea.