Firefighters urge caution as rural burnoffs get under way in Northland
19 May, 2021 05:00 PM
5 minutes to read
Fire and Emergency deputy principal rural fire officer Michael Champtaloup. Photo / Donna Russell
Northern Advocate (Whangarei)
By: Donna Russell
Pillars of smoke swirling around Northland show the open fire season has begun as landowners tidy their properties. However, the summer drought conditions have left a moisture deficit in several areas of Northland and firefighters have been kept busy with callouts.
Fire and Emergency deputy principal rural fire officer Michael Champtaloup urged landowners to take extra care, especially in the west and Far North. It s what farmers call a green drought. The public sees green grass and think it s okay to set fires but it is still quite dry underneath, he said.
Police in Houston find missing tiger after week-long search
17 May, 2021 12:23 AM
5 minutes to read
Video shows tiger in front yard of Houston neighborhood. Video / Twitter
AP
A tiger that frightened residents after it was last seen briefly wandering around a Houston neighborhood has been found after a nearly week-long search and appears to be unharmed, police said.
In a short video tweeted by Houston police Saturday night, Commander Ron Borza can be seen sitting next to the tiger, petting the animal and saying it has been a long week searching for it. But we got him, and he s healthy, Borza said as the wife of the man police allege is the animal s owner sat next to him and fed the tiger with a baby bottle.