Jenny Simmons said her parents bought the Springvale Rd property in 1992 and she lived there until about two years ago. ‘‘Words can’t explain it,’’ she said as she looked at the scorched earth around the site. The aftermath of a fire that tore through property in Springvale Rd, between Alexandra and Clyde, on Wednesday afternoon. The fire had crossed Springvale Rd and was stopped from spreading further by an irrigation dam, he said. ‘‘My mother for years spoke about some stupid helicopter pilot who pruned her apple tree at the back because where he dropped it, it broke an apple tree.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 26, 2026 15:43 UTC