Bay of Islands burn-offs spark fires in palm tree, garage

Firefighters from the Paihia brigade douse a burning phoenix palm at Haruru Falls. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Two blazes sparked by burn-offs in the Bay of Islands yesterday are a reminder that fire can escape at any time — even after Northland's recent torrential rain.

In the first incident, about 11.20am, two crews from the Paihia brigade extinguished a fire in a 20-metre tall phoenix palm at a Haruru Falls campground, pumping water from the nearby Waitangi River.

The property owner had been cleaning up after the July flood and was burning branches and other debris left on the campground when the water receded.

Fire chief Rex Wilson said radiant heat from the burn-off may have been enough to ignite frond husks under the crown, which were bone-dry despite recent heavy rain.

Deputy principal rural fire officer Michael Champtaloup, who was among the first to raise the alarm when he was driving past on Puketona Rd, said the property owner had done just about everything right.

It was a small vegetation burn-off which was supervised and lit in light winds, though it was ''possibly a bit close to the tree''.

''It just goes to show, even after all that rain, you can still get fire escaping.''

Even in an open fire season when permits weren't required it was still worth visiting the website checkitsalright.nz for tips on how to keep a burn-off safe, Champtaloup said.

Firefighters from the Paihia brigade douse a burning phoenix palm at Haruru Falls. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Little more than an hour later, at 12.45pm, the Kerikeri Fire Brigade was called to a burning garage on Mangakaretu Rd.

The property owners managed to douse the flames with a garden hose before firefighters arrived.

Station officer Andy Hamberger said embers from a burn-off on a neighbouring property had landed on the garage roof and ignited pine needles in the spouting.

Damage to the garage was minimal but Hamberger said it was a good idea to clean leaves, especially pine needles, out of roof gutters before the next fire season started.