A stove-top fire in Outram on Saturday was never going to spread far, surrounded, as it was, with a variety of fire appliances and a bevy of fire fighters.
But onlookers got a useful display of how to put it out, with a pot lid and a wet tea towel anyway, and a spectacular display of how not to put it out, with water, at the Outram Volunteer Fire Brigade's centenary celebrations.
There was plenty of back-up, with the fire service's new command unit, the airport fire appliance and a rescue helicopter landing on the West Taieri Rugby Club grounds for the event.
Chief fire officer John Eaton said the displays attracted good numbers during the day, and about 110 people had booked for a dinner in the evening. Former members came from far and wide for the centenary.
The experience of being a fire fighter in Outram was something different, with a "big, big area" to cover, and everything from residential areas to the airport and forestry blocks on the patch.
The benefits of being involved included the "good bunch of guys" he worked with, the variety, and "just helping out, really".
