Nor'West News: March 21, 2017

2
NOR’WEST [Edition NEWS datE]
Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi
Tuesday March 21 2017 17
FLAME FILES
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Farm life has
plenty to offer
young people
SCARRED: Scorched trees on the Port Hills, some are still hot and in danger of
reigniting.
Tree trunks still smouldering
• By Mark Thomas – Fire
Risk Management Officer
NEARLY A month after
the big Port Hills fire
started we are still getting
the odd call to smouldering
stumps or tree trunks.
The latest was on Monday
off Dyers Pass Rd
during a day of rain and
it shows how deep and
persistent large wildfires
can be.
There were a couple of
instances this week of what
could kindly be called as
muddled thinking.
In the first on Monday in
Knowles St a large burning
candle was placed on the
top of a free standing fireplace
– that was operating
due to the cold snap.
Of course the candle
melted all over and down
the fireplace and ignited.
No real damage but
smoke throughout.
The second involved a
tourist in a hotel room
who put the kettle on an
element on the stove top to
make tea.
Unfortunately it was an
electric, and far more importantly,
plastic kettle.
Smoke and mess again.
We also saw a toaster in
a cupboard in Redwood
cause a lot of heat and
some real concern from the
occupant.
‘Appliance garages’ have
been around for many
years now.
They consist of what is
generally a small roller
door covering toaster and
kettle with a power point
available inside.
They will generally work
fine in this way.
But they should never be
closed while this happens.
There have been a few
fires over the years where
the roller door has been
shut on to the knob of the
toaster, preventing it from
popping up.
The result can be devastating.
From city girl to sharemilker to equity
farmer, North Canterbury’s Wendy Croft has
come a long way in a sector that allows young
people to work hard and prosper.
“I was working in a bank before I got into
farming. I had never milked a cow, but we got
into sharemilking to save money, and it was
easier for me to manage it than to get someone
else to do it.”
Three years ago Wendy
enrolled in Ara Institute
of Canterbury’s NZ
Diploma in Agribusiness
Management; a practical
qualification for working
farmers that is delivered
online with face to face
tutorials in Culverden.
The programme is
run with the Primary
ITO and was rated as
“excellent” by the New
Zealand Qualifications
Authority (NZQA) in a
recent report.
With two young
children and a business
to run, Wendy balanced her studies with her
family and work commitments.
““I think my husband and I worked together
every day for three years! It was hard, and it’s
not for everyone. It’s challenging but it’s really
rewarding.”
Does she miss her city lifestyle? “Yes,
sometimes I miss the city, but I love the lifestyle
here – I have good neighbours and good staff.”
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