Fire and Emergency NZ were called to a fire at a house on Abbots Way, Raumanga, on Monday night. Firefighters arrived at a single-storey house just before 6pm after receiving multiple calls, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson confirmed.
The fire appeared to have started in a back bedroom of the house, he said.
Fire crews were on the scene until just after 8pm. There were no reports of injuries.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Green concerns
A survey of Northlanders' views on the natural environment has identified the loss of ngahere (forest) and a lack of protection or planning as top concerns. The next biggest worries were pollution, especially rubbish, and poisons. Invasive weeds, pests/predators and overfishing also rated highly. Overall, 78 per cent of the roughly 1000 people who responded to the Arohatia te Taiao survey said they were worried about the environment. Project lead Tania McInnes said the next step would be community engagement in an attempt to identify potential solutions, with a final report due at the end of June. To learn more, visit arohatiatetaiao.kiwi.
Free parking
Parking will be free in the Far North until Friday, May 27. The temporary removal of time-based restrictions is part of FNDC's efforts to encourage visitors to spend longer in the district's central business areas and follows similar action in Whangārei and other centres - Whangārei will charge for parking again from Tuesday, April 26, after six weeks of free parking for council-owned spaces. Councillor Kelly Stratford, who suggested the move after being approached by Paihia business people, asked those intending to park long-term to leave central parking spaces free for shoppers and diners. Parking wardens will focus on illegal parking in mobility car parks.
Sewer pipe works
Work to improve the sewer pipe network in Dargaville began yesterday . United Civil Construction has been contracted to install approximately 380 metres of new sewer pipe within the existing carriageway, Countdown car park and Taha Awa Riverside Gardens. Works are due to finish at the end of June.
