During the severe drought of August 1976 the land in Christchurch was tinder dry
During the drought in 1976, the fields in Christchurch were tinder dry due to the the fact that every day between June 22 and July 16, 1976, the temperature reached well above 80F.
There were a high number of fires in the area due to the weather conditions including thatch roofs and heathland at Matchams and Ferndown forest.
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