Residents are being evacuated from homes at risk from a scrub fire near Te Puna in Western Bay of Plenty.Video / Chelsea Norman
Restrictions on outdoor fires will come into force for the Bay of Plenty this week after a sharp increase in the number of fast-moving vegetation fires in the district.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said it would restrict outdoor fires in the region from 8am tomorrow.
Bay of Plenty District Manager Jeff Maunder said there had been 69 vegetation fires in the past month, three of these significant.
“Most of the fires were the result of burn piles getting out of control, after people didn’t check forecasts or failed to extinguish the fires properly,” Maunder said.
There had been 69 vegetation fires in the last month including a major shelter belt blaze in Te Puna. Photo/ Renee Adkins
“The three biggest fires in the last month caused a considerable amount of damage to the community and the environment.
“These were a scrub fire at Te Kaha on November 13, a vegetation fire which got into orchards in Te Puna on November 21 and a fast-moving slash fire in the Purataru-Rapuke Forest on November 27.”
A restricted fire season meant anyone who wanted to light an open-air fire would need to obtain a permit first, which could be applied for at checkitsalright.nz.
“This spring has been a particularly dry season for the Bay of Plenty so far, which means heightened fire risk as we head into the beginning of summer,” Maunder said.
“We haven’t had a lot of rain, and what we have had isn’t making much difference to the dry conditions.
“We still have a lot of warm winds, which is making the vegetation even drier. The forecast for the next couple of weeks looks to be more of the same.”
The Bay of Plenty had about 500,000 hectares of commercial forestry and more than one million hectares of Department of Conservation land.
Bay of Plenty District Manager Jeff Maunder. Photo / NZME
These areas were mostly surrounded by grasses and scrub which could transfer fires rapidly to forested areas.
“The Bay of Plenty attracts many visitors to its beaches and towns over the summer, and we’re calling on everyone to be vigilant with fire or engaging in activities which could create sparks,” Maunder said.
“If you’re starting to plan a fire, always go to checkitsalright.nz to see if you need to apply for a permit, and if it is safe to light a fire, and then follow the advice provided.”
