A personal apology from two youths who started a fire at Clyde on January 5 was appreciated by the volunteer firefighters called to extinguish the potentially disastrous blaze.
The boys, from Christchurch and Invercargill and aged 14 and 12 respectively, admitted responsibility for the fire and this week fronted up to those who took time off work and holiday to put it out.
Together, the boys attended the fire brigades' weekly meeting, at which the 20 volunteer firefighters called to extinguish the fire were present.
Also at Monday night's meeting were the parents of one of the boys.
Constable Lance Davies, of Alexandra, said the apology was well received, as was a financial donation made by the boys to both the Alexandra and Clyde brigades.
Const Davies said the boys were being dealt with through the youth justice system, of which the apology was part.
The youths, on holiday in Central Otago, burned 150sq m of land, which took an hour to extinguish while flames rapidly spread near houses.
Police said it could have had catastrophic consequences.
The fire took hold about 3pm on a section of land covered in shrubs and pine trees in Miners Lane, near Clyde Lookout Rd.
Strong northwest winds were blowing on the day and only a driveway separated nearby houses and willow trees from the burning section.
