Northland news in brief: Navigation warning for Ngunguru River; fire and police kept busy over weekend

Bar changes are common in the Ngunguru River, Northland Regional Council says.

A navigation warning has been issued for the Ngunguru River entrance along the Tutukākā Coast. The Northland Regional Council maritime department advised the river's entrance has changed and the beacons no longer mark the navigable channel. Lights marking the channel have been removed, while day markers were left in position and will be assessed over a longer time period. Bar changes are common and should be approached with caution and not navigated at night, the department said.
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Northlanders missed out on Lotto winnings as one lucky player from Ōpunake took home $200,000 with Strike Four in Saturday night's draw. Powerball was not struck and has rolled over to Wednesday night where the jackpot will be $10 million, alongside Lotto First Division sitting at $1 million .
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A motorist was airlifted in critical condition to Middlemore Hospital after their vehicle crashed on Pipiwai Rd on Saturday night. Firefighters from Whangārei and Kamo had to free a driver trapped after the crash at around 6.20pm. The road was blocked while emergency services attended the scene. Around 12 hours later, a second crash occurred on the outskirts of Whangārei on Ngunguru Rd. One person was moderately hurt in the crash shortly after 7am on Sunday. No other vehicles were involved in either accident.
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Police are investigating a minor house fire on Old North Rd in Whakapara in the early hours of Sunday morning. When firefighters from Hikurangi and Kamo arrived at the scene, the flames had already been extinguished. A police spokesperson said enquiries were being made to determine how the fire started.
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Motorists managed to escape unharmed after a car clipped a second vehicle causing both to crash on State Highway 1 in Kawakawa just after 10pm on Saturday. Both police and the Kawakawa Volunteer Fire Brigade responded to the scene near Taumatamakuku Cr and Whangae Rd.
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Three helicopters and multiple fire trucks were used to battle a large spreading fire at Kaipara Flats near Warkworth. Firefighters were called to a vegetation fire at about 10am on Saturday and initially responded with two appliances, Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman Simon Lyford said. On the way, they called for two tankers to join them, as they believed they might run out of water. Difficult terrain and strong winds hampered efforts to extinguish the blaze. A fire investigator was called to attend.
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Kamo volunteer firefighters were called to Kamo High School on Saturday to extinguish multiple fires lit in steel rubbish bins near the entrance to the school. The minor fires were quickly extinguished and no damage occurred.